Tying it Even Tighter
by GrayandMercy
Summary: Kagome fled the area 6 years ago. Now she’s well aware Inuyasha doesn’t know about his 4 children. Now she’s well aware every demon in her past is trying to drag her back.
1. Six years

Author's note: Hey, to the new readers, what's up? This story would have shot off in the middle of the animated series when the group was still searching for the jewel shards. The end of the animated series really isn't mentioned here.

To the old readers: as you know, this has been officially reposted and is to be finished. I would have kept it on the Fire 0 Raven account but since me and Raven broke up, she took everything with her. Now it's lost in oblivion. But I hope you found the new stuff. You won't have to read over the past chapters. They're just slightly revamped to make it flow better.

Tie it Even Tighter

Kagome grazed her fingertips lightly upon the fading scar that stretched from the edge of left shoulder top to her collar bone. The wound was old, but it still brought back memories that were so fresh she could nearly relive the moment. Memories she didn't want to have.

If she hadn't gone numb in the last few years then she would have refreshed tears brimming on her eyes, and trailing down her cheeks. But she wouldn't allow herself to cry for him anymore, to cry for what she'd lost. She needed to stay strong and go without tears to give new hope to her children.

Yes her children, she was a mother.

In fact, it wasn't just one child, it was four of them, quite resembling a litter.

There were a pair of identical girls, Meimi and Ko, that looked just like her. Younger six year old versions. They had long black hair to their hips, but mismatching eyes. One was light amber, the other was silver.

The other two weren't identical. Silky silver hair slipped down to their shoulders. Kawayou, her little boy had amber eyes, an exact replica of his father. Zel, her baby girl, had plain silver eyes and otherwise looked human. Her human ears were covered by her lengthy glossy black hair. Kagome's lips thinned as she thought about it. Zel was mute. She'd never say a word.

Kagome snatched her hand back like it burned when she heard the door open.

"Hey Souta, no one told me you were coming." Kagome said in her calmest voice possible at the moment, and stood up from her computer chair allowing it to roll away a little bit.

The older Souta certainly looked more like a man then a child now, even if he was so much younger than her.

His height stood just above his own. He caught her eyes through his square framed glasses perched on his nose. Hand running to rub his five-a-clock shadow cast over his face, Souta just looked tired.

"Don't worry, I told you kids not to bother to tell you, Zel got the door anyway." He leaned against the door frame, eyes straying to look over her workplace steadily.

A twinge struck her when he averted his vision. She wouldn't cry, but what would stop him from seeing the pain and hurt that still lived in her eyes. Busying herself she took the papers that recently came out of the printer stuffing them in the correct files.

"I know you may not want to talk to me Kagome, and I haven't seen you until recently. It wasn't my fault mother kicked you out, but you can't go on ignoring me forever." He stated standing up correctly reaching a hand out as if to soothe her.

"I know Souta, I'm sorry. It's not your fault." She stopped from what she was doing to give him a sorrowful look before she just left the files to follow him out of the room.

"I made coffee, come on." He led her to the tiny kitchen.

"Already? How long have you been here." She arched an eyebrow briefly glancing in the direction of Meimi and Ko who were pestering the cat.

"Awhile. You were in deep thought before. I didn't want to bother you." He made her pause so he could hand her the hot cup of caffeine and signaled for her to sit at the table.

"How is the rent, and job going?" He looked at her from over the rim of the cup.

"It's been better, and we might have to move again if I can't afford another's month rent. Being the secretary does have its down points you know." She took a quick sip savoring the taste. "But honestly Souta, did you travel thousands of miles just to ask me about the job and rent? You know I've been having problems." She added not waiting for an explanation as much as a straight answer.

"The reason I'm here to is give you an offer I doubt you'll refuse sis. Remember the old Sunset Shrine?"

Kagome nodded urging him to go on.

"Well since the will has been passed out, I now own it."

Kagome muttered something under her breath, and between sips that sounded like 'Go figure.'

"But since I already have plans of a different house, and am on my way to having the money, I have no desire to keep it. I'm offering you it." Kagome set her coffee on the table looking him hard in the eye while her mind raced over the sudden jumble of thoughts.

'That would bring back such bad memories, but I would no longer have to worry about rent so I could spend money getting real food for once.' Kagome's thoughts drifted to the kids.

Ever since her mother had kicked her out, she'd been having a hell of a time trying to find work that had a decent salary for her and four kids to live on. Even now she had to borrow from a bank, work more than one job, and cut back on half the things they needed yet to make ends meet. Living paycheck from paycheck didn't suit harmony very well.

"The land has no taxes as long as you keep it a shrine." Souta reminded her waiting impatiently for her decision as he gulped the remaining coffee.

Kagome broke eye contact blinking.

"I guess I could-"

"Great! Sign here." Souta whipped out a file of papers she hadn't even been aware he'd been holding, and slapped them in front of her.

He handed her a pen, and pointed out where her signature was needed.

Kagome hesitated for a moment. 'I don't care how I feel anymore, I need to do my best for the kids.' She mentally reminded herself firmly.

"Now, when can I move back?" She gave him a forced smile.

~*~*~

"Hey mom, what's that?" Kawayou leaned anxiously toward the window in the plane, and pointed to something out toward the endless blue.

"Probably a boat genius." Meimi leaned over the seat, her eyes darting all around.

"Out this far, you'd have to be insane!" Kawayou retorted growling at her.

"Unless it's a superhuman like that one you see in your dreams." Ko peered back at them through the seat crack.

They were in the back of the coach section. Kagome's fingers raced to rub her temple, the bickering of her children's voices growing louder and edging at her patience. She'd been glad she'd sat never to Zel who didn't inch from her spot. She played with a cross-stitch that Kagome had bought her earlier that month. Kagome regretted the fact that all over her children couldn't be so sedate when studying the intricate patterns and designs of the strings.

"It's true! But when he comes to the house, I won't show you." He said adding a snort, and looking toward the side. Kawayou was the only one who had to wear a hat to cover his dog ears. Both Ko, and Meimi had them as well yet they were black, and easily blended in with their hair.

"Calm down all of you!" She snapped at them in a more gentle way, dropping her hand to her lap.

Five hours on plane and the stupid engine was giving her a headache. She would have paid extra about now just to get in first class.

Kawayou was the only real one with advanced hearing, but he was fine with having a hat on which muffled most of the sounds. With how tight the cap was, Kagome was amazed that he could even hear them speak.

"Madam." A meek voice asked to the left at her.

"Kawayou close the window already, there is nothing but ocean. Ko, Meimi sit forward! Do you have your seat belt on?" Kagome barked orders at her young ones totally oblivious to the flight attendant.

Zel gave a tug at her mother's shirt looking back between her, and the flight attendant.

Kagome ignored this, and leaned forward to flick Ko's nose when she shoved her head back.

"Stop that before it gets stuck." She ordered.

"Mom." Kawayou's voice muttered.

"Madame." The attendant said again trying to gain the women's attention.

"Ko, show your sister how to put the seat belt on! Make sure it's on the right hook."

"Mom!" Kawayou's voice sounded again louder this time.

Zel gave another sharp tug until Kagome quickly turned on them.

"What?" She'd raised her voice.

"Madame, I came to tell you we'll be landing in an hour. Would you like something to drink?" Kagome flipped around in state of shock, her heart ramming in her chest.

'I'm surprised she doesn't throw us out for misbehavior...' Kagome gave a smile and nodded.

"I'll have anything without caffeine. They'll all have coke, except Zel." Kagome threw a thumb over to point at Zel. "She'd like whatever I'm having. Always does."

The waitress nodded pulling out the soda's.

"How cute, are they twins?"

"Of course." Kagome took the two cups of coke, and passed it up to the girls.

"What about the silver hair, what is that?" The waitress looked her children, confusion furrowing her brow.

"Uh...hair die....temporary, it was for a....Halloween party." Kagome tried to remember how to articulate correctly. She'd been asked this so many times before, and most of the time she didn't have a problem rattling off "genetic disorder" or "hair dye." Her mind had been so lost in thought that the sudden inquiry caused her thoughts slam back in order and jumble.

Catching herself, she almost pinched her nose, and let out a quick breath.

'Please have this lady just LEAVE'

The waitress handed them the last coke for Kawayou.

"But Halloween isn't for a month." The waitress raised her eyebrows so high they disappeared behind her brown bangs.

"Yeah," She paused for a second, "test run…"

Kagome's eyebrows twitched, and she could feel Kawayou shuddering as he snickered from there.

"Really? Sprint fine? Caffeine free." The waitress pulled out two cans.

Kagome just nodded.

"Yeah, well I used to do the same thing, dye my hair gold. I swear I used to want to be rare with blonde hair, and blue eyes. But that's something you gotta be born with ya know. Otherwise you end up looking off. Thank the lord for those month dyes."

The waitress went on rambling before she pushed the cart away.

Kagome leaned back, flexing her hands that cramped with the anxiety.

"Some people don't know when to go away huh mom." Kawayou laughed aloud now.

Zel shook her head, and the other girls didn't comment.

"An hour, this is going to be a LONG, annoying trip." Kagome leaned back in a chair, only an hour and a half more from her real home. One she'd left so long ago.


	2. Faded Memories

The sunset shrine hadn't changed much, yet the setting orange sun shimmering upon its walls made it even more beautiful then she could ever remember.

She paid off the taxi, and then looked upon the shrine steps speechlessly.

She was finally back— the place she'd grown up, the place she used to go everyday for 15 years of her life until the feudal era opened. Since then she was not to her home half as often.

Now after a good amount of years she looked upon it like someplace strange.

'Had it really been that long?' She asked herself.

For the last six years, she hadn't really been permitted to come back to live but it was open to anyone who came to pray. A few times in the past she had thought about it, but the pain would come back. Now six years later she couldn't even remember what the place looked like at sunset.

Zel moved up to her ankle, mimicking her mother's pose, looking up the steps. Kagome let a hand slip down to her head to brush over her hair. Ko and Meimi shot by running away from an angered Kawayou. They tackled the steps and ran about the open grass. Giggling the girls skidded to a halt when Kawayou stopped moving. He folded his arms and looked at them admonishingly.

"Giving up already?" They mocked in harmony.

Kawayou popped his chin up and gave a superior sniff.

"I'd have no problem catching you." Turning away, he finally gave his attention to his mother.

Kagome noticed instantly snapping out of her trance, and going up the path.

"This way kids." She announced in the most composed voice she could manage, and turned back giving them a forced smile.

Kagome surveyed the area when she got to the house. He eyes stopped at the well house.

'I still wonder if the well is sealed. Either way, it wouldn't benefit to go back there again.' Her hand unconsciously trailed her hand to the scar she gained in the years back.

A twinge struck Kagome, and she jerked her head to stare out Zel. A strong feeling of relief ran through her and Kagome's finger tips tingled. Pulling her hands away from her youngest daughter, she absently announced.

"Well we are home."

Zel promptly nodded, too engrossed in staring at the place to look up at her mother.

Kagome had often found herself pondering about the convey of emotions she would get from Zel. It was in the moment prior that Kagome was so very sure it wasn't her feeling relieved. But that Zel could, and would from time to time, convey her emotions through some type of aura. She didn't have time to ponder on the implications of it—the only way her mute daughter could communicate. In times before, she'd just let the curiosity of the thought trail settle to the reminder that there was lots of magic in the world.

The sun was setting glowed orange as it set, coloring the clouds that had tinted gray.

The auras were still strong here-- she was sure of it. In the past years she had even attended a course on how to sense auras. It was quite strange, almost like a camp. They didn't teach her much more than she already knew. It seemed her already inherent miko senses were all that would aid her.

Kagome shivered at the mere thought, it was not a time to think beyond what was present. She searched the auras, each forming its own color in her mind. The one by the well house, its magical aura was still a pulsing purple.

`Why, why hadn't it died down after all those years? Is something still pushing against its barriers? If I give the stupid sword back, will it stop pulsing? Or was it because I disposed of the Shikon no Tama'

She closed her eyes tightly shut.

The pulsing aqua she was now locked on to was giving her migraine. Years back when she climbed from the well, which would be the last time she did, bloody and beaten, she'd only made it to the God tree. Stabbing the sword into its bark, it glimmered and sealed there. The blood it'd been covered with burning into steam.

Nothing could touch it; it would purify, and most likely kill anything that did. Of course, with the exception of one who was pure to begin with.

"Mom! Wow lookie!" Meimi opened the door with ease. Kagome's own mouth fell open. Everything was new the place was amazing."I can smell the food from here." Kawayou commented taking Zel's arm and guiding her in.

`Souta must have thought I wouldn't have enough money to replace all the worn down things. He has became a really good guy over the past years.' She smiled setting down her suitcase, and following her children into the kitchen.

The kitchen remained the same, except for being touched up in the last few years.

If she could close her eyes, she could almost imagine herself walking in to see her mother in the kitchen, her grandfather at the table. 'Hello Kagome.' No matter how many times she tried to remember her mother's voice, it was already faded. Now she wouldn't even mind hearing one of her grandfather's tales about something or the other.

"Mom!" Kagome's eyebrow twitched as she snapped back to reality, she followed the voice to its source.

~*~*~

Kagome stretched her aching muscles out when she woke. A warmth overtaking her body with a strange comfort she hadn't felt before. Rain pattered outside and it left the world dark—even in the early hours of daylight.

Her children shifted in their sleep, nuzzling deeper into the mess of sheets. They hadn't felt like making the individual beds and picking the rooms, so they all bunked down in the master bedroom.

Carefully, Kagome slid out from under the covers, straining so her weight didn't shift the others on the mattress. Throwing her legs over the sides, she pushed her weight over and let out a breath when her feet touched the wooden floor. Grinning at her success, she glanced back to watch her children sleep.

Zel's eyes popped open the second Kagome looked, and Kagome's shoulder dropped. Zel frowned until Kagome silently beckoned her to stand up. Hoisting the young girl straight off the bed, the two snuck to the kitchen.

Kagome had learned very quickly to not wake the children up until breakfast was long since made or she'd have three grumpy children rubbing their eyes and whining.

A twinge of happiness struck Kagome as she put Zel down, and using the boost, she smiled and looked around for supplies.

"Zel, would you check for me if there are any eggs in the fridge?" She asked pulling out a pan from the covered. She cringed at the dust on it and ran it to the sink. Zel returned with the carton and held it as high as she could. Zel only made it to her waist and often tried to overcompensate for her size.

"I guess I might as well make omelets for everyone right?" She hummed gingerly and turned on the stove.

A crash caught her attention, and dropping her task, Kagome almost growled. She ran for the other room where the children were supposed to be sleeping.

"What's wrong?" Her voice shot up so high, she brought a hand to her mouth.

"Mommy!" Meimi and Ko reached out for her. Tears dampened their eyes and their tiny fingers reached out for her with urgency.

"What's going on here? Where is your brother?"

They cried. "Where is your brother?" Kagome demanded again, eyes shooting away from them to look around the room.

"I'm right here mom." Kawayou stood by the door, his claws tearing into the wood.

"What's going on? Please tell me what's wrong?"

Kawayou flexed his nails on the wood, his eyes widened.

"Can't you hear that?" His voice whispered.

Kagome opened her mouth and paused.

"Hear what? Kawayou what do you hear?" She pulled her children tight to her chest and sprinted for the doorway.

Zel had followed them to the hallway and she put down the twins, looking at all of them urgently.

"What are you hearing Kawayou? Please, please explain it to me. Mommy can't hear it." She reached out for his hand.

"It's horribly. It's like screaming." Kawayou whispered, his voice breaking up with fear. His hands crawled up to his ears and pressed against them.

Kagome looked amongst them, stopping when she caught Zel's eyes. The young girl took a step back, holding out her hand.

With the silent acknowledgement, Kagome turned back toward the twins and Kawayou.

"Kawayou, it's okay baby, I'm going to take care of it. Please, please watch you sisters."

She turned and grabbed Zel's hand as the small girl lead her down the hallways. Her heart thundered, the chill of sweat rushing down her back. She kept glancing around, listening acutely to the children behind her. Zel finally came to a stop at the window, and Kagome got a sudden twinge—of dread. She pointed and Kagome's breath left her when she stared at what her daughter had indicated.

The well house.


	3. Kawayou, the Spider, and the Well

Her chest burned with lack of air, but Kagome stood there unable to take another breath. Zel tugged on her mother's hand before Kagome could even blink. Looking down at the girl, she took a breath.

"Zel, go with your brother. Please, stay together." She urged. The girl didn't move at first, but their eyes caught. Flinching, Zel ran down the hallway to her brother.

Taking another breath, Kagome rushed her gaze around the house. If she was lucky, there might be a bow and arrow set left here from when she lived here. But it had been years. Biting her lip, she made for her old room. The door shuddered when she slammed it open to find the room empty.

"Not today, please not today." She returned down stairs, her mind racing. "Kawayou, where are you?" She yelled as she ran through the kitchen.

"In the bedroom Mom!"

"Do not come out if you hear anything, understand?" She demanded as loudly as she could. Barely putting on shoes as she ran by, Kagome ran out toward the well house. She slammed the doors open, the rotting wood scrapping into her palms. She barely felt it bite into her hands.

The well glowed, the purple aura pounding and raging. There was no seal on the well.

Kagome blinked in the darkness. She barely saw the movement shift in the black, but it kept moving, inching out of the well. Kagome stiffened, seeing the slow sillhoute grow of a spider youkai. It pulled itself out of the well, a malicious grin lighting its face and a red tint to all eight eyes. Kagome was sure her blood froze.

"Leave here now." She held her hand out, urging her miko purifying powers to her fingertips. "Leave here or I will destroy you." Her voice wavered.

"You will destroy me young miko. You alone." It laughed.

The noise let a chill run down her spine but Kagome kept her stance.

Within in instant the spider charged and Kagome held out her hands. It knocked her back as she barely touched it. Rolling, Kagome jerked to a stand as the spider laughed again.

"Die, you obnoxious woman!" It cackled and twisted around to shoot a web at her. Kagome let out a scream as the web drenched her, backpedaling as she ripped at it.

"Oh, what is this?" The spider hissed and Kagome desperately tried to free herself.

"Get off my mother!" She heard a war cry and stiffened. "Kawayou don't!" She screamed pulling off the last of the web.

The tiny boy jumped into the air, and came down with his claws bared. The spider dodged, twisting around behind him.

"Kawayou, run!" She screamed again. He took off toward her, the color draining from his face as he ran.

"What is it mom?" He yelled, jumping behind her.

Kagome growled as the spider ran at them. She backpeddaled again, racing back towards the well. Kawayou followed. Her mind worked in an instant.

"Get behind the well. Just do it!" She ordered. The boy ran behind the well and Kagome stood in front of it as the spider followed them through the door way.

"Die miko!" It hissed running at her. Snapping his pinchers together, Kagome bit her own lip. Just as it ran at her she dropped to the ground, grabbing both hands to push upwards at it. Barely hitting its belly, she launched as much purfying energy through it as she could. The spider screamed, dropping into the well.

Kagome jumped back up, watching the spider just struggle at the rim of the well. She laid her hands on its back as it hissed at her and let out another wave of energy. Within a second, the spider dropped with a loud scream. Kagome eyes barely blinked in time, the white web of the spider just sprayed over the top. Kawayou yelped when it dropped over him like a fine mist. And then it pulled.

And Kawayou fell down the well.

And within seconds, was gone.


	4. Surprise

Sango snorted as she heard Miroku trying to persuade InuYasha to stay with them again. For the last six years, they have given up hope of Kagome ever coming back, and built a house in Kaede's village to help protect from demon attacks.

InuYasha however, came and went each time, grimmer and more depressing than ever.

Miroku and her were seriously beginning to think of sealing the damn well up just to stop his childish antics. Yet she still could sympathize with him. It must have been hard to not only lose one, but two women he loved.

"Gahh!" She jerked to attention at the sudden noise.

She spun around to find its source. It almost…almost sounded like it came from the well. Grabbing her boomerang she ran for the well, her heart pounding.

Kawayou's world spun for a whole minute, and the next thing he was aware of was a hard surface beneath his back. He yelped at the jolt of pain in his spine and sat up. The silver web still draped around him and before he realized it pulled him again. The spider crawled up the well, a laughter shrieking from it.

"I have dinner now!" It called.

Sango jumped back as the spider youkai crawled out of the well. Gritting her teeth, she forced the boomerang out of her hands. The youkai screamed, trying to spring back but the boomerang smashed into it, sending into trees.

Its web fell loose and Kawayou nearly cried as he pulled free of it.

Sango ran after the spider, ready to go in for the kill. Kawayou climbed out, just in time to see her bring the boomerang down over its belly. He gasped and the exterminator spun around to see him.

"Another demon?"

Kawayou blanched, falling back onto the grass.

"No! Don't hurt me!" He raised his hands as the woman walked over to him. "Please don't hurt me!"

Sango slowed, taking the scene in with expert analysis.

"You're just a child." She fell out of her defensive stance and looked him over. "Who are you kid?"

"My name is Kawayou. I don't want any trouble, I just want to go home." He stood up shakily, pulling the web out of his hair.

"Where is your home?" She asked feeling a reluctant bit of sympathy tug at her.

Kawayou sucked in a breath and puffed up his chest. "Well," He said for a moment. In a spilt second decision, he turned and ran to the faint silhouette of building half a mile away. A laugh ripped through is lungs as his legs spun under his a mile a minute.

He just twisted around to grin at the exterminator he was living in his dust when he saw her throw her boomerang. All the color drained from his face.

~*~

"Wow he sure is small." Miroku commented to Sango about the tied up Kawayou in the corner of Kaede's hut.

Kawayou growled dangerously, but couldn't say anything due to the gag in his mouth. He'd already tried biting off the ropes that held his arms.

'What did I do to deserve this?' Kawayou thought miserably as he clawed hoping to get the rope off. Unsuccessfully he couldn't, but was clawing up his own hands. He let out a whimper a second later, relaxing his body enough to stare at the ceiling. He wondered where his mother was. A knot formed in the middle of his abdomen as he continued to think about what trouble he would get into. He was supposed to stay inside and now he's tied up by strangers in the middle of nowhere.

Sango cranked her head back to look at the child as he whimpered. She pursed her lips a second before reluctantly standing and marching over to remove his gag.

"We'll let you out if you don't cause any more trouble." She said watching his pleading expression. Her eyes trailed down to his bloody wrists and she inwardly cringed.

"Didn't someone teach you to use your claws kid? Your mother? Your father?"

Kawayou shifted his eyes away.

"My mom doesn't have claws."

"And your dad?" Miroku joined the questioning as he stacked fire wood for a meal later.

"I don't have a dad." He stated as if it were the easiest thing to say in the world.

Sango gave Miroku a sadden look for Kawayou, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Well, then we'll bring you to your mother. You can't go around racking up trouble."

Miroku grinned at Sango's back, but chose to say nothing.

Kawayou gave her a blank expression, and never quit cutting himself while he tried to escape.

Sango frowned down at him. "You really should be taught by someone who can actually use his or her claws."

Miroku titled his head to the side.

'A boy hanyou, and the only other good dog demon.....' His thoughts drifted off, and a smile came on his face.

"Sango, I think we just found someone to teach him. Someone that it would help the both of them."

*~*~

It took Kagome a few minutes to move from her dumbfounded spot. It took every rational thought in her mind not to just spring in after him. Her thoughts ran to her other children. And to the inevitable fact, if she returned she would probably attract a much more bad situation than they had now.

Kawayou was strong, which she knew, but she was a mother who swore to a life of protecting her children so Kagome stood up. She was going to have to get him. But first she'd need to take care of the girls.

She looked at what she pulled together from the house. There was an old bow with only one arrow. It had been painted with care but now looked worn and tarnished.

She bit her lip as she thought about it, thought about the well, thought about returning.

"Inu-yasha." She whispered.

`*~*~*~

"A hanyou? Alone? Bullshit, he wouldn't be alive if he were separated from his pack." Inu-Yasha jerked his head to the side, looking away from Miroku.

"Everyone despises half breeds, and a kid who can't even use his claws...." Inu-Yasha left it at that.

"Sango said she found him at the well InuYasha."

"Then he probably was one of the village kids."

Miroku sighed at InuYasha's stubbornness. He still couldn't be affected by Kagome's leaving right? He might have been feeling guilty, because it was his fault she ran away from him, and ran into trouble, but guilt DOES fade with years. It had at least been six years.

"Inu-Yasha! You can't still be upset about Kagome!!!" With an ill-tempered hanyou, that was not the right button to press.

"What did you just say monk?" Inu-Yasha raged, standing up.

Miroku held his staff, preparing himself in case just as he stepped back.

Inu-Yasha didn't have time to say anything however, when a shouts came over.

"You'll never catch me at that speed old lady!" Kawayou cackled insanely running away at high speeds from the infuriated demon huntress.

Seeing two people ahead of him, he speed up, and hopped off the ground to jump off Miroku's head, and was planning to do the same to Inu-Yasha.

Before Kawayou could react his world twirled and the boy suddenly realized he was upside down.

Inuyasha had yanked Kawayou's foot without thought and held the child by his ankle.

Kawayou froze, and looked up, realizing he'd been caught by something more than human.


	5. Return

Kagome cursed loudly which echoed up the well. She rubbed her sore back, reminding herself of all her old skill of jumping down the well, and not getting hurt because of it.

Snapping back to her senses, she climbed out of the well very cautiously.

"Can't die yet, can't die yet....." She chanted under her breath, squeezing her eyes shut until she got to the top of the well.

Looking around, it was the same forest from her memories. Slight evil vibrations through the forest remained in the area over years, but nothing recent to worry about it.

'Good, now to find Kawayou.' She told herself, readying her bow and arrow. She couldn't pick up his aura near the well but was almost lost in the pulsing magic.

She hesitated on where to go. Logical sense would dictate that when lost, he would go for the village. She was in theory still welcome at Kaede's village but wondered how well they'd take her after the past events.

Her thoughts were cut off when a growl erupted near by.

"And all this time I thought I would get a break. Come out demon! Show yourself, if you want to prove yourself worthy."

Kagome remembered years back, when she had purified the jewel, and it vanished into her, demons began attacking her to see if they were worthy. It made her sick, how no one could be near her without being in danger. She had to leave Kaede's village to protect all of the villagers, but InuYasha- he wouldn't give up that easy.

A shadow demon pulled up from the floor, it's mass towering above the trees, and with small black, and beady eyes focused on her.

"So Midoriko has returned. You have no idea how long I have been searching for your reincarnation." It hissed, Kagome no more impressed, but irritated, narrowed her eyes.

"Aww shut up already. You better have damn well not done anything with the boy that was just here before me."

Kagome remembered that name more than anything, the original creator of the jewel Midoriko. Something about when the jewel had been absorbed into her, she found that demons often hunted her aura. Midoriko's aura.

"The boy?" It hissed, recalling something before speaking again. "The boy arrived here before you, and was taken off by a demon exterminator. Poor fool, but better off than you girl."

With that it lunged into the ground, disappearing from Kagome's view. 'A demon exterminator- here?' She thought at first before scanning the ground. There were shadows everywhere, the trees, rocks, of the well, but how would she know which was the demon?

She clenched her eyes shut and tried to see the auras. Her heart pounding was all she heard in her ears. Then she saw it. Twisting around Kagome let off the arrow toward the shadow youkai. It screamed and hissed on impact, fading away at the point of her arrow.

Youkai birds, and snakes covered the trees near her, all to find if the explosion really meant she was back. Some took a quick look, and then retreated to spread the rumor. Soon all the demons nearby would know, that Kagome, or Midoriko to them had returned.

She glared up at the trees, feeling demons presence. 'They would be a fool to attack now, not after that- and I know they won't. Now just to find Kawayou-' Her hand squeezed the bow, nearly breaking it in half '-alive, or that exterminator will live- no wait- die to regret it.'

~*~*~*

Kawayou froze, and looked up, realizing he'd been caught by something more than human.

"Uhh- hi...." He stuttered, looking around for help.

Sango finally caught up panting. "Damn he's fast." Then she looked up to meet InuYasha's eyes. "And you thought he wasn't a hanyou."

Miroku also joined them and urged the subject again. "He needs to be trained InuYasha. Just a basic, besides, he acts like you, and you'll probably get to like him, and get on with your life for once."

"What are you getting at monk?" InuYasha glared in Miroku's direction.

Kawayou tried to unlatch his leg but all his efforts earned him a snort from Inuyasha.

"We all know your trying to get away kid. Just give it up before you have wolves chasing you, because we won't."

Both Miroku, and Sango secretly smiled. Maybe this would work after all.

~*~

"Ack!" Kawayou yet again was sent flying back a few feet when InuYasha blocked his attack.

InuYasha sat a few feet away, legs folded, eyes drifting shut, and yawning.

"It's a miracle you're not dead yet kid, you can't even hit me."

awayou growled. "And this is coming from some big shot with a rusty broken down sword at his side!" Kawayou pointed an accusing finger at InuYahsa's rusty sword.

InuYasha glared, but didn't even touch the sword.

'There is no point- no human to protect-no transformation.' He ran over the usual thought in his mind, before he got an idea.

"Hey kid, come here." He said in a voice that chilled Kawayou to the core.

"I want to see if you can wield this...."


	6. Coming for you

" I want to see if you can wield this...."

Kawayou cocked his head to the side in disbelief for a moment.

"Are you crazy, why would I want to touch that. It's all rusted and old." Kawayou said in a small voice, still in mild shock about InuYasha's comment.

InuYasha snorted. "If you are a hanyou, you will understand why I carry it with me."

Carefully Kawayou picked up the sword. It was against most of his beliefs to even use one. His mother had always taught him that he should only fight to protect instead of becoming evil and corrupted.

"Now swing it." Inuyasha commanded him making sure he faced the opposite direction of people.

Kawayou closed his eyes, and swung with mild might. Opening his eyes, it did nothing but slice through the air. Without being told he tried again, focusing as hard as he could.

A tingle ripped through his hands, and he could feel the sword transforming. It hit the ground, and sent a big tremor through the land.

~*~*~

Kagome muttered insolence under her breath as she looked down from the ledge. She hadn't been here for six years, but everything was pretty much the same. The last memories she had of it made her sick. It was a big fall, but at least you'd be rolling instead of just dropping.

"I should have known better. Oh lord, Kawayou will be turning human tonight. I bet his appearance is already starting to change, but if he loses his powers.....Urg, I have to rush." She muttered to herself aloud. She hadn't expected what was coming, but a big tremor in the ground sent her forward.

'No-' She thought, when she found herself tumbling against the wall at alarming rates. She wrapped her arms around her head during the time.

Jagged rocks sliced her, and everything else she seemed to land at on the wrong time. It took a minute for her to hit the bottom with a resounding thud.

Her eyes fluttered open seconds later when she also managed to feel a wave of pain. She forced herself to get up and look around.

She was definitely at the bottom, and injured. Blood oozed slowly out of an open cut on her arm, but the wound didn't look that deep. She moved gently to see if she'd broken anything.

She gave herself a second before standing up straight. Her mind returned to the mission on hand and she absently thought 'I can't let this slow me down.'

"Midoriko!" She heard a nearby voice.

Turning she saw what she'd feared. Another demon waiting to fight, and this one didn't look to friendly. "Not again! Can't you come back later?" She'd run out of her only arrow. Stiffening her stance, she readied her hands.

"Don't even think about it Midoriko! You'll never find that little boy again." It laughed.

"Are you fighting me to find yourself worthy because your being pretty shameful." She retaliated as its words burned.

It erupted into another annoying laugh session.

"Or no, nothing personal. Quoting him to you, 'I know your back Kagome. It's a shame I couldn't see the look in your eyes as the last drop of life was sucked from your body, but now it is just important you die.'"

Kagome gasped, she knew exactly who would have done that. Biting her lip another memory came that she'd suppressed for too long.

She had stepped up to the dying man they had just fought with.

"Don't let him live!" Inuyasha shouted from behind her.

"No! Inu, he spared my life. Maybe there is still hope!" She shot back defending him.

"Kagome, don't!"

Kagome ignored him determined on helping him. It was love that had saved them all from the evil. She wasn't going to give in to his evil tendencies. That's what she had thought at the time anyways.

She lifted his head into her lap, and he looked at her with those eyes.

Her breath had left her, her mind arguing over what to do.

Kagome snapped back into reality. When things seemed like they were going right, absolutely everything turned wrong, and just kept getting worse.

"I have a message for you to give him. Then you can come back to kill me. Tell him, perhaps I deserve death, but I refuse to die until I see my children off safely."

"I don't take requests." It shot back. Kagome looked up to meet its stare with a deadly cold glare.

"If he doesn't hear it, he might just kill you himself."

The demon pondered what to do for just a moment.

~*~*

Kawayou cracked his eyes open to look around. Inuyasha was standing next to him with eyes open wide. "Did I do good?" Kawayou asked nervously.

InuYasha nodded his head taking this sword out of his hands.

"Maybe you could stay with us...." He shivered at the thought of a youngster being tattered and teased about being a hanyou, and then cast away from society.

"Oh, but mister, I have to get back to my mother! She and my sisters might be in trouble!"

~*~*

The demon pondered what to do for just a moment.

"For now I shall spare your life, but I will be back. If you try to run you will only die quicker." It warned her, and with a last snort, it turned to leave.

Once it was out of sight, Kagome dropped back to her knees, shutting her eyes to hold back tears. She knew why she never came back. She didn't want to deal with these problems anymore, and now it was like she was dragged into the worst of it.

A lone tear managed to escape from her eyes. This wasn't destined to end well, but perhaps she could just finish her end of the bargain of keeping her children safe.

Kagome expected it to be bad, but she never managed the high extents of it. She was in for some trouble yet.


	7. Insane

"Your mother and sisters? Where are they exactly?" Inuyasha asked.

Kawayou let out a breath and frowned.

"I don't know. I don't know how I got here." He admitted miserably. His ears flattened back on his head and he gave a quick sniff.

Inuyashsa studied him, his ears twitching to pick up the quiet sound.

He hesitated on his answer. The sadness reeking off the boys scent was almost overpowering.

"We can help you find them," Inuyasha finally answered. "But we'll need you to help us. Really help us to find it… you know how to use your nose right?"

Kawayou's dread grew at the thought of having to search. He had barely paid attention. In fact, he wasn't entirely sure how it got so woodsy out here. His mind had just been burning with fear of being hurt and he hadn't really thought of it.

"Come on kid." Inuyasha jerked his head back toward the village and tried to give the most helpful smile he could.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome had managed to force herself back up, and by sheer will power went on. She wasn't exactly sure where Kawayou would have wondered of and now she was thrown off track, a good two miles. She had to find a way to get back up the hill safely, and that wasn't going to happen for awhile.

So as she marched forward, almost like a solider going off to war, she just thought to herself. The Shikon No Tama was far too dangerous to be in anyone's hands. So at the time, she did the only thing she could. Before the entire mess started the Shikon was in her body. At the time, all she could think was putting it back. Letting her and only her hold on to it and protect it with her life. Like it should be. Like Kikyou did.

Kagome's lips thinned at the thought. She wasn't entirely sure how the entire process worked. Kaede had warned her that her magic was mixing so much with the Shikon no Tama, that they were almost absorbing together. Which is why, Kagome only closed her eyes and the jewel disappeared. Back into her.

She took long strikes until she arrived to a narrow hill that she might just be able to climb.

She could smell the smoke rising from the village. She knew she hadn't gotten too far off track. She was almost back. Almost home.

~*~*~

Inuyasha perched himself in a tree as Sango and Miroku gathered their things. He watched the boy with hawks eyes, memorizing his exact scent. He'd told the two were he planned to take the boy and they had jumped at the opportunity to go along. Probably think it would get him back to his own self again. Frowning, he drew his gaze to the sky and noted where the moon would be as darkness descended.

His thoughts still caught him before he could change the subject. It seemed that every woman he loved would end up hating him in the end. Sneering his dug his free fingers into the bark and listened to it cry out. It got really confusing. Part of him was worried that it was Naraku's plan. It didn't make sense and he wondered if it was because of outside influence. And then the jewel getting stronger as they collected the shards… Kagome getting stronger set up for disaster. Kaede had warned them—had warned them that the jewel started to flare up with active power, had started to feed off of and into Kagome.

Inuyasha didn't understand it any more than he did at the time. But he wanted it gone, he knew it was hurting her. He knew that was the reason she started to go insane in the end.

~*~


	8. Had I known

A/N: To those asking about what Kagome did with the girls, it will be revealed in due time. And the one who asked about the future clothes, his clothes are mentioned below. They aren't so…noticeable in difference.

"I don't feel so good." Kawayou nearly fell backwards as he tried to sit down.

"Oi kid, do you plan getting home anytime soon or what?" Inuyasha barked at him. He twisted around to see the waning boy and regretted doing it. Kawayou sniffed and rubbed his bruised palms together for warmth. It was getting cold and he was almost devastated he was only wearing black shorts and an oversized black shirt—what he had worn to bed the earlier night.

Now the sun was slipping out of the sky and he could already feel the youkai blood slipping away from him. He was exhausted.

Inuyasha's ears flattened when he looked at the kid and a reluctant pity hit him. He stopped in his tracks and didn't bark at the child again. Sango stopped and leaned down to him, some maternal instinct sweeping over her as she reached out to help the boy up.

"Keh." Inuyasha said and turned away. Not even Shippou had that kind of effect on him. But maybe it was because the poor kid was a hanyou. Maybe.

"Maybe we could carry you; it's still too early in the day to stop traveling." Sango's asked gently.

Kawayou looked at her outstretched hand and whimpered. He wanted to tell them about the moons cycle. But they probably wouldn't understand. His mother had scolded him not to go off and try to share that with other people. He stared at her hand. But maybe they were different. One of them, one of them was like them. Kawayou looked up to Inuyasha and he swallowed.

For all his childhood he figured he was mature for his age. He wasn't interested in stupid toys or cartoons. But for the first time in his life, he felt so utterly young. That maybe if he was older he wouldn't have gotten into this. Maybe if he was older, he would have remembered where he was and be able to backtrack. Maybe. But still all he felt now was the nauseating weakness that came with his moon cycle. He couldn't keep walking. He had to tell.

Sango smiled when he grabbed her hand and the young boy climbed to his feet. Sprinting forward before she could say anything, he ran to tug on Inuyasha's sleeve.

The dog demon nearly jumped backwards at the unexpected action. "Oi, kid what is it?"

Kawayou's ears dropped at the look Inuyasha gave him. Almost seeing this, Inuyasha tried his best not to frown.

"I can't keep walking cause the moon tonight."

Inuyasha opened his mouth and paused a second later.

"Keh, now we can't use your nose to find anyone." He folded his arms over his chest but looked at the boy from the corner of his eye. Suddenly he kneeled down. "Oi, kid, hop on."

Kawayou took a second but then climbed onto Inuyasha's back. He stood up a second later and continued walking.

Kawayou flexed as the night went on. He pulled his hair strands forward, watching as it slowly dimmed to black. Inuyasha just looked over his shoulder at him, but didn't say anything. Hanyou indeed.

Kawayou yawned, blinked as the creeping fatigue snuck up on him. He let himself lean forward and rest his cheek against Inuyasha's back. These people were sure being nice.

"So, Kawayou right?" Sango sped up her pace to catch up with him and she gave a smile to the young boy. "Tell us about your mother."

Kawayou pouted thinking about her. He missed her.

"She's human. She says I'm special. But two of my sisters are like me too. She says I remind her of my father. That I'm going to grow up to be very tall." He stifled a yawn. "She works really hard to take care of us."

Sango reached out to pat his hair. "We'll find her, don't worry."

`*~*~

Kagome finally reached the village, just as night fell. She scanned over the huts, looking at the one in the center. Smoke still billowed from its chimney. Kagome steeled herself and walked to the door.

"Who be calling upon me this night?" The voice rose from inside.

"It's me Kaede. It's Kagome."

It went silent inside, and for the briefest second, Kagome almost thought Kaede wouldn't answer her. But the door swung open and the old woman looked at her from the other side with owl eyes.

"Kagome!" Her voice cracked with a sign of age and she fell back a step.

"Kagome." She repeated as if she didn't believe it.

Kagome looked behind her at the darkening woods. "May I come in, Kaede?"

The woman finally nodded and let her in. Kagome fell to the wooden floor when Kaede had shut the door.

"Dear child. How have you come back? Why have you—"

"Please, please let me explain." Kagome breathed. "Quickly, yes, I'm short on time. But I know what you must have heard. I want to make sure you know what is true."

Kaede nodded wisely and focused on her with a new fervor.

Kagome took a deep breath and continued.

"You know I meant no one harm. I—I thought I was doing what was right when I helped Sesshoumaru. He didn't…he didn't seem to have to do much with Naraku's plots. Inuyasha wasn't happy I know." She almost sighed. "And then the voices. You remember." She brought a hand up to her head thinking about it. "It was his fault. He told me he could find a way to make the voices go away. I should have seen it was a trick. The Shikon No Tama was absorbed into me you know. And then Inuyasha….we had a falling out. And that was it. I meant this town no harm. I didn't mean to make the demon attacks worse."

Kaede's mouth opened but she hesitated. She fully realized the amount of detail Kagome left out. Even for the simple version. But she knew she shouldn't push on it. She knew Kagome never meant harm.

"You had changed so much at the end, dear Kagome. Do you feel the same way now? Have the same problems now?"

Kagome tried to force a smile. "No, I don't have any problems anymore. They all went away when I left my time….I'm still so confused about it Kaede. But thank you for believing me."

The old women nodded. "We're glad to have you back Kagome."

~*~*

Inuyasha's ears twitched when he hear Kawayou quietly snore. Slumping his shoulders, he forced himself to a stop. The pup was asleep. Keh.

A/N: How much do you like me people? If my readers could do me a favor, I'd appreciate it.

What is the name of Sango's boomerang? And the red robe Inuyasha wears as well as the white deal underneath it?

I know it has a name…but I barely have internet access to find it. Just leave it or you comments in a review and I'll pop up the next chapter as soon as I can.

One last thing, if you're wondering about the status and time of updates check out my profile. It should be summarized there.


	9. Anything for you

Miroku set his staff against the tree and stretched his muscles. This traveling somehow seemed easier to do six years ago. Shaking his own head at his thoughts, he turned to lean aback against the roots.

"What are you thinking about Miroku?" He glanced up to see Sango settling down next to him.

"Nothing of too much interest. You can have my spot if it would make you more comfortable." He offered.

Sango flushed lightly and shook her head. "No, I'm not that helpless monk."

She added as an afterthought, "thanks."

Miroku's eyes trailed where Inuyasha had stopped. The dog demon flattened his ears as he watched the child he just lowered to the ground. Hesitating, Inuyasha pulled his fire rat robe free and draped it over the sleeping child. Miroku couldn't stop the laugh before it escaped him.

Snapping his head up, Inuyasha's eyes narrowed.

"What are you laughing at monk!" He would have screamed louder but for the pup beneath him. Inuyasha's ears flickered back as Miroku and Sango didn't break their gaze. Growling, he twisted around and sprung up to the nearest tress.

"Inuyasha does seem to like the child." Miroku mentioned as soon as the demon turned away. Sango grinned and nodded.

"It's good for him. I'm glad they took so well. Heavens would have blessed us if only Shippou and him had gotten along this well." Her thoughts went to the small fox demon that never left Kaede's village.

After Kagome left, he tried to force himself to grow older, to act older. Still, the fox was the equivalent to a ten year old boy in human years. He had a long way to go. He forced himself to help the old woman and often found himself amongst the villagers helping in sniffing out game. She still saw the youth in him though. She still saw the hurt in him.

"So do you think we'll have any luck on this lead?" Sango curbed her thoughts before they could run away on her.

"Well it is the nearest village where dog demons stay. The child couldn't have come from far. Where did you say you found him again?"

Sango lowered her voice. "By the well. But I doubt we'd have any lead around there. The spider youkai would have dragged him easily half a mile by the time I found them. And I know Inuyasha wouldn't even help us if we told him we were going there." She remembered how he skirted around that place as if from fear of sudden death.

"Well, we should hope these demons are friendly. Especially if we'd work so hard to bring back their kind."

Sango nodded and ran her fingertips over Kiara's fur. The youkai purred in delight and brought a gentle smile to her lips.x

She lay down to sleep before her eyes just caught the form of Inuyasha in the tree. She blinked in the darkness, the fire dying out and the leaving the tree difficult to see.

She was sure she saw Inuyasha though. Saw him watching over the now human Kawayou with an expression that was absolutely indiscernible.

~*~

Gratefully accepting the new bow and arrow set from one of the villagers, she set them next to her. Kaede had sent out for one and went to stoke the fire to keep it burning. Kagome's attention had fallen away as she ticked her fingers back trying to calculate the time. She only had three more hours of the daycare. She'd have to rush back. Maybe Kaede would watch her children.

She thought about the rushed call she made to Souta. He numbly acknowledged the situation, unsure exactly why she was so upset. He'd dropped by the house to pick the girls up and leave them in a daycare center. She knew though, he couldn't work any more miracles for her.

Sighing, she had hoped it was easier than this. Not entirely sure what she expected, she just needed to make sure she was welcome here.

Her lips thinned. She hadn't asked about Inuyasha but she didn't sense his aura here either. It would be foolish to think he'd stay in this village after all of those years. She hadn't broached the subject to Kaede yet. She'd had something more important to concern herself with.

"Kaede, I'm afraid I didn't come back for a reunion." She stood, pulling the bow and arrows with her.

Kaede didn't look up from the fire at first. "I didn't think ye did, my child. What ails you?"

"I came here looking for someone. A boy."

Kaede spun around as if she'd been burned. "That hanyou boy, the one Sango found at the well!" She rasped out.

Kagome didn't get to speak when Kaede walked closer to her.

"Is that the child you seek?"

Kagome numbly nodded. Sango had found her baby at the well. Her breathing went shallow.

"Where is he Kaede?"

The old woman watched her, her eyes widened. Kaede knew, almost instantly, but she wasn't sure she believed it.

"The boy is your child?"

Kagome's lip shook and she nodded. For the first time someone else understood what she'd been almost haunted her for so many years. Her child. Inuyasha's child. Her eyes burned with moisture.

"I need to find him, where is he?"

Kaede opened her mouth and suddenly turned from her.

"Sango had been convinced that the young boy had come from a not too distant Dog-demon village. The idea that it be yer son never crossed us Kagome. How—" She stopped for a second, "You must reach them before they get to the village Kagome. They may not have traveled far."

"Them?" Kagome's heart clenched to a near stop.

Kaede turned around to look at her, a new concentration returning to her.

"Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha went with the boy."

She didn't say the next part but Kagome could hear the question echoing off the very walls of her existence.

"Are you ready to face him again?"

She answered the question out loud, her voice breaking and her strength almost escaping her.

"I'll do anything for my son."

A/N: Yo, so just leave comments or questions in the reviews. Thanks! It's like a cheerleading squad to get out the next chapters


	10. Here for the boy

Inuyasha jerked forward, a growl running deep in his throat. He threw his head around, desperately trying to find what had woken him.

An unfamiliar scent was in the air. His ears twitched as he listened to the night air, the air ruffling the leaves and making the branches groan.

He sniffed the air, eyes darting over his sleeping companions. Kawayou shifted uncomfortably in his sleep, nuzzling deeper into his makeshift blanket.

Inuyasha growled, claws digging into the trees. He was sure he smelt something, but the shifting wind hid it. It was faint.

"Sango, Miroku wake up!" Inuyasha yelled to his companions. A clamor in the bushes twenty feet away caught his attention. As if it knew he saw it, it jerked into motion.

"Damnit!" Inuyasha pulled out his Tetsusaiga, the sword transforming, just as he hit the ground.

The racket in the bushes moved, jerking forward behind trees. He turned, barely just catching its shadow.

"What is it Inuyasha?" Miroku and Sango had stirred and sprung up defensively.

"I don't know, but come out come out wherever you are." He growled at the woods.

Kawayou just barely stirred, blinking his human eyes to urge to see in the darkness.

"Oi, boy, get behind me!" Inuyasha yelled.

The creature darted through the woods, stirring the trees. It was fast. Inuyasha's eyes barely caught its location a half second before it darted to the next.

Kawayou jumped up and obeyed, running behind him where Sango stood. The three warriors turned to form a circle, each readying at the dark woods before them.

Kawayou drew his knees up to his chest, heart starting to pound as he desperately looked at the gaps between them at the darkened woods. Another demon, it had to be.

The disturbed leaves called out louder, the trees screamed as the creature sprung on them. And suddenly, it stopped.

Inuyasha's ears flattened and he growled. The shadows moved, quickly pulling together to form into something lean and panther-like.

It prowled forward, and seeing it come closer, the three snapped their heads to look at it. Kawayou whimpered, just looking between the gaps of their legs. Its eyes gleamed, its fur becoming visible as a deep shadow of gold. Opening its mouth, fangs and a sharp set of teeth smiled back at them.

"What do you want demon?" Inuyasha readied himself.

It looked up at him, studying him for a second, and then stopped moving. It spoke, slowly and deeply.

"I am not here for you."

Inuyasha stiffened, his eyes widening. Without a second spared, the creature jerked his head down. Kawayou's heart froze. It was staring straight at him.

It stared, looking straight at him, with its eyes glinting with something too malicious to be described. It spoke again, each word chilling him to the core.

"I'm here for the boy."

~*~*

"Kagome, wait!" Kagome had hustled for the door and barely stopped when the old woman called her again.

"I have to rush, Kaede. I'm on a time constraint!" Her heart kept pounding and she hit the dirt and located the path the others had taken.

"Don't go alone, Kagome. You will not be safe."

Kagome turned to look back when Kaede got to the doorframe. She looked at her pleadingly.

"I can't wait for someone."

Kaede held out a hand before Kagome could move. "Please, Kagome. I've called someone to help you."

Kagome opened her mouth, not sure what to say at first, but an aura struck her. Twisting around, she squinted her eyes to see it. It moved quickly, rushing toward her. Kagome almost jumped when the tiny fox demon landed in front of her.

"Shippou." She didn't even realize she'd said the words.

The tiny fox looked up at her, eyes wider than she'd ever seen, and he flexed his tiny fingers.

"Kagome, it's really you."

Kagome almost cried. Falling to her knees, she opened her eyes for the tiny fox to spring into them.

"Kagome I thought you died!" He wailed and Kagome dug her fingers into his fur.

"Oh my gosh Shippou. I've missed you so much." She was numbly aware of her own words. His tears soaked her shirt and she felt her knees shaking uncontrollably.

"Why didn't you ever come back for me Kagome," He cried and Kagome's mouth suddenly felt dried out.

She listened to his sobs for a second and pulled him forward to look at him.

"I'm here now Shippou. Please believe me, I won't ever abandon you again."

He nodded gently and Kagome gave a weak smile.

"What's going on?" He kept sniffling and Kagome kept petting him.

"I'm looking for someone. He's with Inuyasha and Sango and Miroku. I need to find them."

Shippou didn't move at first and then he asked, "The hanyou boy."

Kagome reluctantly gave a nod and smiled. Shippou seemed to take a minute to realize it.

"Who's he Kagome?"

She hoisted him up to carry in her arms while moving to walk in the direction Kaede had told her.

"Oh Shippou, I have so much I need to tell you. But, you have to not tell anyone yet…please."

~*~

Review!


	11. Before my eyes

Having Shippou so close did wonders to calm her. At first as she spoke, he insisted on standing and walking.

She told him about her son, originally trying to find the right words. Shippou didn't even see surprised. When she finished explaining who Kawayou was, Shippou just nodded.

"I knew you and Inuyasha were in love."

A flush so deep covered her face, she couldn't bother to hide it.

"So does he not know?" His childish voice didn't help. She frowned and shook her head. His eyes went wide but he didn't seem to dwell on it.

He immediately shot off into filling her in on his life for the few years. "I've been so valued at the village!" He beamed, and excited chatted at how he used his fox instincts to help.

"I'm proud of you Shippou!" She replied, catching his cheerful aura.

He stopped walking and Kagome turned back to look at him. She opened her mouth to talk before she saw his face. His eyes glimmered wet and Kagome got alarmed for a second.

"Shippou what's wrong?"

The tiny fox didn't reply, he looked at the floor for a second and then launched himself at her. Kagome caught him with open arms. She fell back a step surprised but starting laughing when he tucked his face into her shirt.

"Oka-san, I'm so glad you're back."

She carried him from then on, the warmth and feeling in her arms doing something to calm her heart. She'd always taken care of Shippou when she first met him, always acting as a mother to the orphan fox. But something changed when she gave birth. It wasn't just a game anymore.

She sighed, rubbing his fur. She really felt like his mother. All the old memories rushing back, it hurt her to think she'd been away from him. She thought about it for a brief second. She wondered the implications of staying in the feudal era. But then, there were so many things she needed to do, it would be useless to think about it.

~*~

"Damnit," Inuyasha growled as the creature lunged at him again. He twisted out of the way, and sliced his sword through the air where the creature had stood. It darted back and kept prowling. The three picked up a defensive stance around the boy and actively fended off its attacks.

"It's too fast!" Sango yelled, throwing her boomerang again. The creature jumped and ran for the gap between her and Miroku. Inuyasha was on it, jumping to attack. The creature leapt back and growled.

"Why does it want the boy?" Miroku asked, careful to keep track of the creature.

"I don't care but it ain't getting him!" Inuyasha ran on the offensive.

The creature roared and leapt into the air. They clashed, the force of the impact knocking them both back.

Kawayou scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding sickeningly loudly in his ears. Why did it want him? The creature kept track of each one of his movements and Kawayou could feel its stare boring into him.

He felt a twinge behind him and his head snapped up. A feeling he recognized.

"Inuyasha, we may be in for more trouble!" Miroku shouted and another shadow launched at them from the woods. Yanking his staff forward, he met the creature in the air. A crack sounded up and the force of the blow knocked it sideways.

"There are two of them! Inuyasha, watch out!" Sango realized what had happened and rushed forward to help Miroku.

The two demons seemed coordinated, twirling around the group of them and strategically attacking.

"Kid, stay back." Inuyasha growled, grunting as he clashed with the creature again.

Kawayou barely heard him, his attention off towards the woods that were just far enough to be almost indiscernible in the darkness.

"Where are these coming from?" Sango vented as she twisted around when the creature fell back again.

"Watch it Sango," Miroku knocked her back as the creature launched. Miroku just barely caught it with his staff, falling back to the ground; he held the piece of wood between the creature. Its claws dug in, and it bared its teeth.

"Miroku," Sango moved to aid him. And then it happened in second.

"Don't move!" A voice screamed from the darkness and just half a second later an arrow broke through the air, lit up brighter than the sun itself. Sango jumped back just as the arrow pierced the creature. It fell back, a horrible scream echoing through the opening of trees. Steam rose until the demon disappeared.

Her eyes widen and all three adults fell still.

"Momma!" Kawayou yelled running for the woman standing just at the edge of the woods.

"Kawayou, don't move!" She screamed, her heart freezing as the demon charged at the boy that had dashed into the open grass.

Time slowed down. Kagome's world shut out but for the five feet area where her son stood. The demon reached him, grabbing the boy's shoulder into his oversized jaw. Kagome screamed.

Suddenly catching into action, she knotted pulled back another arrow and sent it through the air. But the demon ran too quickly.

And for the second time in her life, Kagome saw her son disappear.

~*~

A/N: I guess the next chapter is the one you've all been waiting for. Inuyasha and Kagome reunite. Well sort of. But yes there is much more Kag and Inu in the next two chapters…which will be posted this weekend!

Oh, quick question for my work on another fic.

How does Kouga ever find out about Kagome's 'sit' command? Or does he never ask?

Just drop it in a review or something. Thanks


	12. Still running

Inuyasha couldn't think. He couldn't move. He wasn't even sure he could breath. His eyes stayed still on the girl before him. Even as she fell to her knees, his eyes stayed on her.

And he couldn't react.

Sango and Miroku beat him to it.

"Kagome?" They both chorused, running to the girl.

The name seemed to break him from his trance and all of his thoughts slammed together before he could discern them. Kagome, his Kagome, his Kagome that was never coming back. His Kagome that was back in the feudal era. His Kagome….

The emotions beat out his thoughts, raining on him so heavily he thought for a second he'd fall from the weight of them. His eyes burned but he didn't blink them. Guilt, dread, fear, pain rushed through him. But something else, something else he'd never felt before. A light in his heart he didn't recognize suddenly lit up and took his breath away. His Kagome was back. He just barely believed it.

Miroku and Sango rushed to her side, skidding to a halt when they caught clear sight of her.

"Kagome?" Miroku asked again in sheer disbelief. She didn't look the same anymore, aged like they had, but there was no doubt who she was.

"That demon got him." Her brows knit together and her eyes never moving from the ground.

"We'll get him back Kagome!" She was barely aware of Shippou tugging at her arm.

"What's going on here?" Sango asked her eyes trailing over the sudden commotion. Her mind still spun but her demon fighting training kept her sharp. She sucked in the scene, while both amazed that Kagome was back, still focused on the problem at hand.

She still held her weapon tightly, eyes barely flickering to the woods to assure herself the demon was gone.

Shippou abruptly stood up on Kagome's behalf. "We need to find that boy. We came looking for him."

Sango stayed for half a second and her mind clicked. "Kawayou, you know him?" She replayed the last few minutes in her head and her breath fell away. "He's your son?" The very impact of the words made her and Miroku take another step back.

Shippou cringed and looked back at Kagome. But the girl didn't budge from her spot, her fingers clenching absently over her bow.

Sango looked up to catch eyes with Miroku. And as the thought struck them both, they fell back. The path in front of Kagome opened.

The girl finally pulled her head up, her eyes finally landing upon the dog demon ten feet away.

Inuyasha's hair caught in the wind, his wide amber eyes glimmering. His arms stayed by his side, legs slightly spread, and he stood unmoving.

Inuyasha couldn't think, any chance he had was blown away when the miko met his gaze.

He closed his mouth, the rush of her scent becoming so vivid in the air, he closed his eyes too.

He'd heard them speaking, but the words didn't sink it. Inuyasha's muscles suddenly stiffened. And he did the only thing he could think of. For the first time in his life, Inuyasha turned and ran.

~*~

A/N: don't shoot me! I swore this chapter was supposed to be longer. But apparently I found I had 3 different chapter 12s on my computer. Which confused me to the point I could only assume those were supposed to be 13 and 14 too. Buttt I'll post the next update early to make up for it. And yes, this is the part of the story where there is a lot of Kag/Inu interaction in the next chapters.

Oh, and if any one read the manga, is there anything the animated series left out about Kouga?

I'm gathering my knowledge through general consensus


	13. Newfound focus

"Are you really going to run from her, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's ears flattened to fit to his head and he didn't turn around.

"Get away from me old woman."

Kaede sighed, falling back a step to get a better view into the trees.

"I came here to be alone. Grant me some peace damnit." The hanyou barked again. His tone has risen dramatically.

The old woman shaded her face with the palm of her hand and kept watching him. No hatred seeped off the dog demon, of that she could tell. But any other jumble of emotions were Inuyasha's to sort out. She didn't come here to rush him in that. She came here to warn him that was no time to waste.

"Lady Kagome will be returning to her time shortly, but we will need your assistance in helping find the boy. Inuyasha, do not take long to yourself. We haven't much time to lose."

The hanyou didn't budge but thinking her words were understood, she turned to return to the village. His voice caught her a second later.

"Why is she going back to the well? Running away again?" His voice didn't reflect the anger his words desired. They came out to slow and soft. Kaede paused where she stood.

"You may ask here yourself. That is not my place to say."

Inuyasha listened to her leave, listened to wind blow in her absence, the tree branches knock together in the breeze. He let out a breath but it didn't seem to change the mass that had taken over his chest. It was almost suffocating him. He moved a loose claw to place over his heart but it only made the fury worse.

He closed his eyes and let himself lean forward, sounding out the world. Every noise, every smell, every outside sensation made it hard for him to think. And the cloud of emotions that rained hailstorms upon him didn't help.

Clenching his eyes further, he tried to gather his thoughts. His mind was so blown, utterly thrown beyond what he thought was even possible, when he saw Kagome again. And when that boy…the hanyou boy went running toward her calling for his mother.

The mass in his chest ached with a vehemence and he cringed. He tried desperately to clear his thoughts. To voice what he already knew. His Kagome was back. She came across for her son. A boy with inu youkai blood. His heart only hurt more as he continued. The boy, that boy, must have been his son. And Kagome had known it all along.

He couldn't stop the short cry that escaped his throat and his clawed hands clenched at his head. Inuyasha had always prided himself on the ability to think on his feet, and now it seemed he couldn't even think much at all.

Opening his eyes, he stared at the tree canopies ahead of him. His eyes barely noticed the rising light in the sky, the sun reaching over the horizon. For whatever reason, at that moment it all came crystal clear to him.

Whatever happened in the end, they did not deserve this. He wouldn't let Kagome go away again. He wouldn't spend any more time mourning the absence of a lost love. He wouldn't let her leave. And at the moment, his most pressing goal came clear. He was going to get his son back.

~*~*

A/N: *stares at computer screen* How the hell did I mutilate these chapters like this? This is TIET12 2.0. What that means, I'm not sure. It means you prolly want to shoot me for stretching out the drama.

I think I'm gonna post the next chap early tomorrow or later today. But I can assure you, the initial showdown between Kagome and Inuyasha is in the next chap…thing.

And to harass you guys with one more question:

Why does Kouga have a tail when none of the other wolf demons do? Is it cause he's royalty orrrr is that tail thing part of his pelt?


	14. By the way

Kagome walked quickly to the well, the strain between slowing and speeding into a jog bothering her legs. But her thoughts ran far from her chosen speed. She knew Miroku and Sango were right, Kawayou was wearing the robe of the fire rat when he was captured. The demon may have barely scratched him. And as the sun rose, her son only grew more capable of defending herself.

But her cheeks still colored as the stressing thoughts rained down on her. The guilt hadn't subsided over her failure but she could only think ahead now. Think of the girls. She'd leave them in the village with Kaede. She'd be sure to it they were well defended.

And if she knew anything, it was that Kawayou was only being used as bait. They may not have had any intention to hurt the boy until their end goal was completed. And Kagome already knew what that was.

She took a deep breath and pushed back the dread that followed her. Looking up she saw the outline of the well.

And then he appeared.

Inuyasha fell from the sky to drop onto the grass just behind the well. Only ten feet separated them, and he looked at her with a new determination.

"Oi bitch. I hope you didn't think you would leave that easily."

Kagome breathed, watching him carefully. "Inuyasha." She said his name and the dog demon's ears twitched. "Sit."

The hanyou crashed into the ground with a ferocity he'd forgotten and he let out a yell before his face hit the dirt.

"I'm not here to fight with you today Inuyasha."

"Oi, how dare you!" He tried to stand against the subduing spell but the magical beads won and kept him pinned. He let out a growl that reverberated deep in his chest. "What do you think you're doing?"

Kagome moved to sit on the edge of the well, facing him.

"Having a civilized conversation with you when you learn to keep your emotions in check."

Inuyasha pulled again, this time wining and standing. He clenched a fist but didn't move much closer.

"When I learn? Kagome what the hell?" He could barely find a better way to say it. "You come back after six years and this is what you have to say?"

"I have a lot to say." Her tone went gentle and she found herself unable to look directly at him.

"And I'm sure you do as well. I just don't find this as the best time for it." Kagome was absolutely amazed at the stamina she managed to keep. Maybe four fighting babies was the way to grow that patience. It didn't however stop her heart from pounding at the closeness between them. Inuyasha never really left her life. There wasn't a day she didn't dream about him, didn't think about him. And that almost made her sad and still somewhat aware she wasn't ever alone.

Inuyasha growled. "I'll tell you the best time for it Kagome. I'm not going to act like nothing happened!"

She couldn't look at him. "Between us."

She found herself engrossed in the spreading light of day, the old wooden well, the bones at the bottom of the dark well. She couldn't look at him.

"I know you're mad that I never came back." She said.

A heavy silence fell between them. The hanyou's ears fell back, his eyes watching the girl sitting on the well. The sun rose behind her, the light making her outline utterly luminescent. He looked at her face, her eyes, her downturned mouth.

"Kagome." He whispered suddenly leaning closer. "I love you and you left me. Without an explanation, without anything. You were—" He hesitated at his next phase and decided against it instantly. Instead he added, more quietly than before, "You never let me help you. You wouldn't trust me to protect you."

A bit of the weight lifted off his heart when he finally said the words, his own sadness in the air growing.

"I know, I realize that now Inuyasha. But there were so many other things. So many other things to justify my decision. I didn't do it to hurt you. I wanted to stay with you forever."

The weakness in her voice almost broke his heart all over again.

He leaned forward, closing the distance between them but never reaching out to touch her. He didn't know what to do.

"But Inuyasha, I can tell you the same thing I told Shippou. If you really want to make it work, I won't stay away anymore. At least not until we figure things out."

Kagome's heart was burning as she forced out every last word. Finally, she looked up at him.

"But before then, we do really need to find your son."

Inuyasha's mind wheeled again, the smell of Kawayou reaching him as soon as his mental image did. Inuyasha suddenly cursed, moving back from her. "Damnit." He hissed.

He knew it but she finally said it. She admitted it to his face. His son, his only son. Stopping a growl before it rose in his throat, he spoke. And with the first word, a furious tumbling ran off his tongue, thoughts he hadn't even realized he completely had. But everything that could have ever packed into his mind raced out.

"Kawayou, my son." He almost growled, the frustration leaking out, not necessarily at her but in general." You can't just come back now and tell me I have a pup Kagome!"

"You don't just have a child," Kagome started to say over him but the hanyou continued to rage louder.

His voice carried over his and he kept at it. "This isn't even a human baby woman, this is a dog demon. Since when did you know anything about how to raise demons? Kagome, I don't care what happened. Kagome" His voice kept getting louder, "you should have told me! Woman, I would have done anything to be with my pup."

His nails started to dig into the wood of the well until it cried out. His heart just pounded louder as he let the pent up anxiety out.

"You have any idea how it feels one day to find out you have a six year old son that you didn't know about?"

"Inuyasha, I did what I had to to keep my children safe." She put emphasize on the 'my' and let her legs fall over the edge of the well. Her peripheral vision gave plenty sight of his ranting. She couldn't necessarily blame him thought. The idea tugged at her. She couldn't imagine what it would be like in his place.

"Arg, I would have protected them." He clenched his fists harder. "I would have protected them so don't give me that 'they would have been in danger' shit. I wasn't the one hearing voices."

Inuyasha listened to his own words before he could stop himself and went dead silent when the woman in front of him flinched. He scented the air, his muscles tensing as he realized the shift in the mood. Kagome looked up at him, her eyes unreadable.

"Uh, Kagome." The anxiety drained from him with the color in his face. He searched her face, a nagging feeling weighing down on him that he'd gone too far. "I didn't mean it like that—"

"Inuyasha," She cut him off. Reaching out, she put a hand over his lips, the touch sending a jolt through them both.

Kagome tried to steel herself, the burning of coming tears searing her eyes. She watched him for a second, desperately trying to built the nerve she so needed.

"I'm sorry about it. About not telling you. You did have every right to know but I didn't because I couldn't figure out what else to do. We all know I couldn't think straight." She breathed, the words coming out easier than she'd expected. "But regardless of what happened in the past, we do need to save…our son now. And we need to work together to do that."

Whatever the hanyou thought she was going to say, that was clearly not it. His face cleared as if he'd been suddenly slapped and he fell back enough to let her touch fall away.

"Why are you going down the well then? We can leave—"

He cringed internally at the words. His mind was spinning too much for him to voice a single thought. Instead he just opened his mouth and hesitated. The emotions and thoughts toppling each other into something he couldn't separate anymore.

"Forgive me Inuyasha," She said again, moving to look directly in his eye, "but I must return because you don't just have one…pup. You have four. And I need to get the others before I can leave."

Tensing her muscles, she pushed off instantly and let her weight fall into the well. The second to the bottom seemed endless and she hit the time abyss before he had the chance to answer.

~*~

A/N: Happy weekend people. Truth be told, I've struggled to decide how much to draw out this chapter but it seems like Inuyasha shock period keeps going on for two more chaps so I won't put you through the drawn out detail. Probably not that you'd care to know any of that but…

If you're wondering why this chapter was so late, the site was giving me trouble up until today. Which btw if you're wondering why there is no update or when the next one is, check out my profile. I'll post the details there.


	15. Flicker of red

His hands twisted around the hilt of his sword as a rumble vibrated down in his throat. Inuyasha tried to take a breath but found the air around him too thin. Blood rushed to his head and the pressure started to pound.

His thoughts had stopped and for a few minutes all he was aware of was the pounding of his heart. Kagome's scent disappeared down the well and was replaced by the mossy foliage. Suddenly, his legs burned and he sprung forward, never hitting the bottom of the well. The blue vortex caught him and then he landed on the other side again.

Inuyasha rushed another breath trying to clear his head. But his youkai instincts only burned with more of a fury and his thoughts never returned to him. Jumping up, he dashed out of the well house. The scents assaulted his nose and his ears twitched when he heard Kagome move inside. His eyes dropped to stare at the open door on the bottom floor. He sniffed the air again and found other scents. His heart churned. His children. He ran after the scent, yanking the window open until it shattered in the frame. The noise only seemed to fuel his building rage and he reached out a clawed hand to pick up a rumbled ball of cloth.

Pulling it forward, he pressed it to his nose and breathed it. The unfamiliar scent reached him and he tried to embed it in his memory. Dropping it, he searched for the others. His hands started to shake when he scrambled for them.

The door slid open to reveal Kagome standing in the doorway. For the first time, Inuyasha's eyes shot up and froze on her. The swirl of emotions rushed out into thoughts. His Kagome had lost his kids. He heart hurt and his thoughts kept spinning with the unfamiliar sensations.

Kagome hesitated when in the door frame. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. Eyes trailing over the ground, she took in the scene. Inuyasha was looking up the kids clothing, probably trying to fine the scent. Kagome breathed in the air, her heart starting to rush again.

Inuyasha's golden eyes were tinting red and the hilt of his sword at his side gave off a heavy blue aura. Kagome's eyes fell over it and she blinked.

Her breath left her. Inuyasha's demon blood was churning. Kagome bit her lip, her mind trying to rush over her options. She wasn't sure how the well the Tetsuiga could manage on it.

"Inuyasha." She tried to reach out for him, but he drew away in return. "Come with me to go get them. Please, you won't blend in here."

Kagome's hand stayed in the air and she paused. Inuyasha's eyes flickered with recognition, but he didn't move. His heart still pounded and the heaviness in his chest grew worse.

He unclenched his fists to drop the fabric from his hands.

"How could you keep this from me Kagome?" He finally whispered. Standing up, his muscles stretched a bit.

Kagome let out a breath when his eyes went golder and his brow furrowed.

"How could you let me find out this way?" With every word, his mind grew clearer and the tightness in his chest began to replace itself with bitter frustration.

"I told you I'm sorry Inuyasha. I can't go back on it now. But come on… " She tried to beckon him through the door.

Inuyasha's mouth thinned and he flexed his knuckles.

Kagome watched him pleadingly. Inuyasha's mind ran over his options and he shook his head. Drawing his arms together he straightened his back. Sucking in a breath, he announced, "We're going to do this my way now Kagome."

Kagome's mouth fell open an inch and she pinched her brow but Inuyasha moved to her before he could. He marched up in front of her and twisted around. Kagome blinked at first before understanding. Reaching out carefully, she climbed onto his back.

Inuyasha waited till she was secure and ran back toward the window. He stopped on the tiles of the second story roof and breathed in the air. Before the girl behind him could speak, he ran toward the scent.

Bounding, he kept running, twisting around the sidewalks.

Kagome tightened her grip, heart throbbing as her fingers twisted into his robe. Her mind didn't put together exactly what to do but Inuyasha's closeness let her keep her mouth shut. Skidding to a stop, Inuyasha slid to the door of a painted set of sliding doors. She blinked, suddenly recognizing the chibi dinosaurs and flowers that decorated the entrance.

Tapping her knuckles on his back, she signaled for him to ease her down. The dog demon stiffened when he looked it over. The sudden realization his children rested just behind it made his stomach turn.

Kagome inched off of him and touched the ground. She stepped carefully around him, tugging the bottom of her shirt absently to organize herself.

"Okay uh…" She turned to look at him. "Could you stay here? We didn't cover your ears up and I'll uh bring them right out…."

She tried to decipher his expression which had almost blanked out. Inuyasha blinked as if she'd startled him out of his thoughts.

"Yea…" He barely could whisper. Kagome waited a second and twisted around to go inside when Inuyasha called out for her again. "Kagome, wait."

Inuyasha opened his mouth and suddenly found his words lost on him. A million questions struck him and his stomach still turned. A minute passed and he jerked his head to the side. "Never mind."

Nodding, Kagome forced herself through the doors to find her children and bring them to see their father.

~*~

A/N: I hate this chapter. I don't know why. I just wanted to proof it and ended tearing it up to something I deemed"useable". Butttt I hope it didn't make it worse. Anyways, drop me a line and all that


	16. Explain this to me

Kagome shuffled her feet through the sliding doors and squinted as she scanned the bright yellow and green walls. A woman sat behind a large white desk and leaned over a computer. Her glasses reflected the white computer screen and blocked out her eyes.

"Hey," Kagome walked over and stopped at the desk. "I need to pick up my children."

The woman didn't answer at first but snaked a hand up. Tapping a red painted nail on the clipboard that rested on the desk, she pointed to the log in sheet.

"Fill it out and go to the back door."

Frowning, Kagome jotted out the required text and then slid by the desk. She could hear her pounding pulse echo off the walls. Her eyes trailed over the colored pictures that were posted over the banners and she stopped at the door. Wrapping her hands around the knob, she hesitated.

Taking a breath, she scolded herself. 'This is not the hardest thing you've ever had to do Kagome.'

And yet, Kagome couldn't shake the feeling. How exactly would she explain this? Zel would probably pick up quickly, Kagome never would worry about Zel. The young girl mimicked her so, if Kagome deemed Inuyasha safe, so would she.

Twisting the knob she pushed it open. An ambush of noise struck her and Kagome stiffened. Before she could pick out her children from the crowd of kids playing, she felt a tug at her shirt.

"Zel." A relief washed over her, and Kagome kneeled down to sweep up the young girl. Zel wrapped her fingers in Kagome's shirt and rested her head against Kagome's shoulder. Standing, she spotted the other two in the back of the room. Maneuvering, Kagome reached them while watching them twitch the annoying hats they wore.

"I hate that game."

"Come onnnnn." Ko kept pleading to her unrelenting sister. They both sprung up when they felt the other presence.

"Mom!"

"Mom!"

Kagome grinned when they waved their arms.

"Hey girls. Come on, we're leaving." She reached a free hand to brush over their hair absently directing them to the exit.

Her mind clicked over what she was preparing to say when they reached the quieter room. But Kagome never got the chance.

Meimi and Ko raced ahead of her, jumping every few steps.

"Mom! Mom!!!" They started to cry in glee and Kagome fidgeted. She turned the corner to spot Inuyasha who had posted himself on the side of the room.

Kagome jerked her head to find the desk empty and the awkward girl missing. She sucked in a breath that was immediately lost when the girls raced up to Inuyasha. Zel only tightened her grip.

"Who's this?"

"Look at him mom!"

"Look at his clothes!"

"Yea, what's with his clothes?"

Kagome's opened her mouth but didn't bother to speak. The dog demon stiffened, his eyes staring at the ground where the girls stood.

Inuyasha could have sworn his heart stopped. His ears twitched, stomach churning. Pushing himself against the wall, he tried to think. But the thoughts didn't grace themselves. His eyes only roamed over the tiny girls. The caps that pressed to their heads and their shiny black hair that ran over their shoulders. Their eyes glowed widely and Inuyasha could almost feel the blood leave his face.

"Isn't a talker is he?" Ko shook her head disapprovingly and trotted forward to tug on the pants of Inuyasha's firerat cloth. The dog demon almost jumped in response.

"Oh! Ko, look at his ears. He has ears like us!" Meimi's voice suddenly shot up loud enough to hurt Kagome's ears. The twins abruptly started to hop in their spot, the squees coming from them almost bouncing off the walls. Inuyasha's eyes could only seem to grow wider.

"Ohh, where'd you get ears like that mister?" Ko would have reached out and grab them if she could of.

Kagome had held her position as her nerves had left her. But the sudden question snapped her back to reality. Stepping forward, she went to pull the girl back. Inuyasha hadn't reacted. Kagome wasn't entirely sure how he'd react but the dog demon almost looked scared. The idea almost made her crank her head forward with embarrassment. Of course Meimi and Ko would scare anyone. They always knew how to come on strongly.

"Come on, be polite." Kagome chided trying to beckon the girls back but they wouldn't listen.

Inuyasha folded his arms into the billowing sleeves of his robe and not to squirm. The blood never really returned to his face and he was starting to get light headed.

He tried to regain his composure but his thoughts kept falling dead center on the shock. His children. His girls?

His eyes suddenly darted to the quiet girl that sat in Kagome's arms. She buried her face into Kagome's shirt when he looked but Inuyasha still saw the human ears. A litter. Of course she'd have a litter.

"Inuyasha, this is Meimi and Ko." She fingered the heads of the girls who kept twitching, antsy. "And this is Zel." She turned her chin down to the girl who stayed in her arms.

Inuyasha opened his mouth for a second before he squeaked, "All girls?"

Kagome coughed in surprise and looked back up. Inuyasha's eyes had fallen away from her and back to the girls below him. "All of them?"

"Hey, you got a problem with girls?" Ko perked up when she understood the conversation and balled her fists. "I got a brother too! And he'd beat you up if he heard that." She shook her tiny fist but the hanyou in front of her didn't seem frightened.

Inuyasha just shifted his weight, his muscles so tight they started to ache with anxiety.

Kagome let out a breath and knew what she had to do next. Turning around, she scanned the room to double check if it was empty.

"Okay," She kneeled down to be closer to them and mentally prepped herself. "About Inuyasha here…"

~*~

Hmm. Apparently I'm cliff hanging these here. Not trying to, just happening. Anyways, drop me a review and if you reallyyyyy hate it, I'll try not to do it anymore.

Happy Saturday


	17. And this happiness

Kagome steadied herself and got her girls attention. "About Inuyasha here…"

"Kagome." The sudden voice snapped her out of her thought train. Kagome looked back up at Inuyasha when he said, "Wait, we need to talk."

The hanyou rolled back onto the balls of his feet and wrung his hands. His amber eyes widened with urgency and the second the girl met them, he reached out to snatch up her wrist. Catching it, he maneuvered by the small children and pulled, rushing outside. The doors slid open and Kagome almost whined when he kept tugging until they reached the end of the block.

She instantly twisted around to see where her girls stood. The three had just past the door frame. Instinctively, Zel grabbed the others twins hands and held them tightly. She watched her mother with a look of confusion and Kagome held out a hand to urge them to stay. The sidewalks were nearly empty and nearby pedestrians slipped by them quickly and quietly.

Kagome reluctantly took her eyes of them and turned to face the hanyou that had dragged her out there so suddenly.

"What's wrong with you?" Kagome yanked her hand free with a huff.

Inuyashas stuffed his hands back into his sleeves and dug his nails into his own skin. He stood up higher and took a breath.

"Kagome," He spoke quietly even though the girls still stood far away from them.

Inuyasha's ears twitched as he kept himself aware of their presence, the back of his mind straying to wonder just how good their hearing was.

It took him another minute of hesitation but he kept the Kagome's attention. "You can't—" He growled to himself as he struggled with the words. His thoughts jumbled together and a knot formed in his chest, pulsing with annoyance. "Just tell them like that."

Kagome let her mouth fall open with realization and put a hand to her chest.

"Well Inuyasha." She found herself struggling to word it as well. "How exactly are you expecting me to do it?"

Inuyasha let out a huff and threw his head to the side, suddenly engrossing himself in the empty street, the trees that lined them, and the shops across the street that had closed signs glowing in their dark interior. His youkai blood flailed a bit but he ignored it.

"So you're just going to tell him? This is your father who hasn't been there for you for your entire life. Enjoy."

Kagome pouted, backing up an inch.

"About the same time I tell them that we have to go into the past to hunt for their brother that got abducted by demons."

Inuyasha peeled his mouth back to reveal his fangs at the comment. His drew his hand into fists and forced himself back to look at her, the sheer emotion burning in his amber irises.

Kagome faltered a bit.

"Inuyasha," she directed more pointedly. "I have no desire to throw you to the wolves here. I never told the kids that you _abandoned _them." She couldn't help but let the emotion swirl up into her voice. "I just told them there were circumstances that they couldn't understand until they were older." She let out a deep breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

Reaching out, she gently touched his arm, unsure if he wouldn't yank away. He didn't.

"This would be the opportune moment. And plus, they aren't dumb. They'll understand better than you know." Kagome almost said the last part proudly. Her mind jumped to remember how adaptable her children had been, how clever they've acted. She supposed they'd have to be in order to be part demons among a modern society.

Inuyasha's face softened for second and he flexed his knuckles. Glimpsing over her shoulder, he watched where the girls stood patiently. Well, at least where Zel stood patiently. The other two hopped in place and kept twisting around to follow every dust particle they could see.

"How are you planning to do this?" Inuyasha asked without looking at her.

Kagome put a finger to her lips, her mind reeling back to what she was going to tell her children a minute ago. It wasn't quite an easy subject to broach, Kagome knew, but she had to tell them something.

"I guess just explain to them part of what happened and go from there."

Inuyasha shot his head back to look at her, his heart skipping a bit.

"Not that part. Just a nice little version." Kagome tried to reassure him without much thought. "At least not until they're older."

A dark feeling came over her at the idea. Or maybe never.

Kagome shifted in place and looked back up at the hanyou in front of her. Inuyasha's eyes never quite stopped glimmering with the cohort of emotions that plagued him. But he relaxed at least a bit, Kagome figured, and he let his hands fall back to his sides.

She turned, and Inuyasha took the unspoken acknowledgment to walk with her. "How do you want to do it?"

They walked slowly to cover the small distance. Inuyasha paused, thoughts running over themselves.

"Just give me a minute." He shut his eyes for a second trying to block out the world's stimuli. "I need to think about it."

They reached the girls and Kagome beckoned them over. Fingers sweeping over their hair, she directed them forward with a quick tap.

"We can talk about it later if you want. And just bring them there. They won't ask too much." Kagome said ignoring when Zel poked her head up to see her.

They stopped at the end of the block and an idea sprung to Kagome's mind. She slipped by to tap the cross-walk button and kneeled down. Beckoning Zel closer than her, she caught the attention of the entire group. Kagome disregarded the extra looks and reached out for the girls hands.

"Zel baby," She whispered even though she knew Inuyasha could probably hear her anyways. "Inuyasha's a very nice man. Be nice to him. He's very happy to see you. Be happy to see him." She squeezed the girls hands before releasing them and standing back up.

Inuyasha shot her a look of confusion but Kagome just shrugged. The cross walk light changed and Kagome reached out for Meimi and Ko's hands. She gathered them and turned to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, would you mind holding Zel's hand while we cross the street?" She asked quietly. The hanyou flinched and tried to form a word. But before he could react further, Zel held out a hand to him.

Inuyasha let out a breath and steeled his nerves. He reached out and took it, the tiny hand disappearing completely in his palm. Inuyasha smiled at her and started to follow Kagome and the others.

His heart still thumped loudly in his chest but then… a wave of happiness snaked through his body. His muscles relaxed and his shaking nerves dissipated. Zel grinned at him in return and Inuyasha opened his mouth at the strange change of sensation.

The hanyou turned back forward tightened his hands on hers. His daughter.

~*~

A/N: Hey guys, sooo I just noticed a lot of the inconsistencies through the last few chapters dealing with the children. I'm not entirely sure if it would screw everything up if I try to go back and change it but I wonder if you're noticing the constant changing in the spelling of the names, hair colors, and for some reason this problem I have with interchanging him and her. Ha ha, anyways, if that didn't throw you too much, I'll try to fix it in future chapters.


	18. Free of words

Inuyasha strode with a newfound bounce in his step, a sense of elation that made him lightheaded, and had him rushing forward. Zel slowed him down every so often, tugging his hand with annoyance when he got ahead of her. Inuyasha obliged, slowing his pace, but the second he looked back down at the girl another wave of elation rocked him.

He didn't want to admit when that simple sense of happiness became full blown giddy. If anyone noticed they didn't say anything.

Kagome clattered in her steps when the young girls kept pulling her forward, the combined force almost throwing Kagome off her balance. Kagome scolded them at first to only hear their insistent complaints at the current speed being rushed out of their tiny mouths. They're voices melded together until it kept becoming an incoherent squeal.

Inuyasha's ears kept flattening every time their voices hit a new pitch and his eyebrows rose, half impressed. Still, in the back of his mind, a quick strike of sympathy hit him when he considered the overall implications for Kagome.

They turned the block and in a second, his mood disappeared.

Zel stopped with a heavy step as the shrine came sight, and a ripple of fear went through her scent. Inuyasha crinkled his nose, his eyes falling still upon the building in the distance.

His youaki blood abruptly rushed up and his spine straightened. Jerking forward, he broke away from Zel and marched in front of the group of them. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword and he took a deep breath.

Disgusting exhaust polluted the air, and the far smell of rotting wood was in the wind. His chest tightened and his ears twitched. He could hear the rush of breathing of those behind him, and his mind shifted.

The quickest flash of Kawayou went through his mind and slipped away but not before bringing a sudden jumble of concerns to mind. He _could_ protect his pups. But where was he going to trust leaving his girls when he went to get his son?

The thought forced some air from his lungs and the tension rushed back to his shoulders. He rotated them for a second, trying to listen to his owns thoughts.

He couldn't—no wouldn't dare—bring them demon hunting with them. And this posed the sudden question of who he would ever allow to watch over his children. Kaede, Miroku, and Sango crossed his mind for the briefest of seconds but he shook his head. No, that wouldn't do. Especially not if demons were targeting them.

A touch on his shoulders made him flinch, and he twisted around abruptly to face Kagome.

"What?" Inuyasha almost snarled and Kagome fell back a step.

"Inuyasha, we have to take them across. There isn't one to watch them here."

His brow pinched as the surprising symmetry of their thoughts but he shook his head.

"What are you planning to do with them there?"

Kagome made a motion for him to back up and Inuyasha reluctantly turned to continue walking. She didn't answer at first, and then calmly came out with "they're safer anywhere near us than alone."

He growled softly, hopping over the last step to land ahead of her.

"How do you do this?" He almost hissed at her as she past. Kagome just shrugged and lead the way toward the well house.

Meimi and Ko went silent watching the exchange, and twirled around the two adults quickly.

"Oh, wait!" Ko spoke up when she looked back down toward the well. "Are we going in that creepy shack?"

"Oh, I'm not going in that shack." Meimi stood, slammed her foot down, and crossed her arms.

Ko raced to stand next to her and shook her head.

"I'm not going either. You can't make me."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at them. The tension still made his shoulder ache.

"We have to." He lowered his voice and announced it with a firm nod. "There ain't anything in that shack so stop being scaredy cats."

The girls narrowed their eyes but held their ground. A voice in the back of his mind arrogantly reminded him they must have his stubborn streak and Inuyasha frowned in reaction.

"Oi, bitch." He turned toward Kagome, "didn't you ever train them to obey their parents?"

The girls listened but closed their eyes and popped their head up, taking a superior sniff in complete unison.

"Nice try Inuyasha, but you can't make them move like that." Kagome told him with a hint of tiredness in her voice.

The fatigue started to tug at her body even while her mind buzzed with alertness. Her eyes dropped down to Zel. The girl had gone still, her eyes widening to take up most of the space on her head. She drew her arms around herself, and tipped her head up to look at her mother.

Her brow had furrowed, her eyes brows up, and her mouth was open inquisitively.

A jolt went through Kagome and almost knocked her too her feet. She shot Inuyasha a quick look when her thoughts changed but the dog demon didn't notice.

Accepting the challenge, Inuyasha peeled back his lips. He suddenly dropped his arms to his side and darted forward. Snatching them up behind their knees, he threw his weight back until they dangled over one shoulder.

The girls screamed in protest, the high shrill deafening. Inuyasha cringed but gritted his teeth with determination and marched toward the well house.

Kagome's thoughts didn't stop bombarding her at the short distraction. She dropped to her feet and tried to beckon the young girl into her open arms.

'Brilliant Inuyasha,' She thought when the jolt left a lingering pain in her nerves, 'just throw that comment out there and think no one will notice.'

She knew Zel easily had to be the most observant of the four, perhaps because she couldn't speak leaving her only time to listen. But Inuyasha saying straight out 'listen to their parents'? Now of course she couldn't miss that. The thoughts made her even more desperate to hold the girl.

Zel didn't move at first, her eyes trickling over the features of Kagome's face—that alone telling her she was right.

Zel dropped her head to the dirt, stepping forward slowly until Kagome could wrap her arms around her. Drawing the girl into her arms, she buried her own face in Zel's hair and tried to calm herself with Zel's warmth.

"I was going to tell you babe," Kagome whispered suddenly unsure of any real way to broach it.

She could feel Zel's fingers curl around her shirt and clench the fabric in a fist. "We just needed to find a way to do it."

The girl didn't react. Free of words, she only leaned her body closer into Kagome's hold. The alarm that had struck her seemed to be mutual and Kagome stayed silent herself. Her mind scanned over how she actually thought the children would respond. Denial at first, acknowledgment second, and then full acceptance. That is the way they usually did things. But then Zel completely threw her.

She sounded out the rest of the world and didn't budge from the spot. Her muscles burned with anxiety that seemed to be inevitable these last few days, and she didn't know how to react. What else could she actually tell the girl, short of going into the whole story? A story they would never understand?

Kagome kept running over the ideas in her head but stopped.

An emotion ran through her in an instant, making Kagome lose her breath. It seemed…it seemed like sudden determination.

She drew back enough to see the girl in her arms and Zel slowly smirked with the new energy. She moved, tugging Kagome towards the well house.

Kagome faltered even under the weight of the emotion, as sudden confusion wracked her.

'Determination. How could she be getting determination from that?'

Kagome didn't linger on the idea long, when she could hear her other girls screaming all the way down the well. Picking herself up off the ground, she followed Zel's lead and walked back toward the well.

~*~

A/N: Wow I hope there weren't errors there. I never got a chance to reread it. But anyways, this chapter had to be done like this(even if it seems like I'm dragging out nothing). But it was needed for later implications and such.


	19. Now it's time to talk

A/N: Okay, so I might have confused some people last chapter. When Zel looked up at Kagome's reactions she realizes that it was true, Inuyasha is her father. Hope that cleared it up, and in the next chapters (more so then this one) I'll try to kill it with more detail to reduce confusion. Anyways, you guys are going to see plenty more Inu/Kag in the coming chapters after I just set the generic framework.

~*~

Kagome touched down on the other side and spotted Zel pushed up in the corner of the well and staring up toward the blue sky. Kagome took a breath, immediately assaulted by the deep pollen and mossy scents of the feudal era.

She squinted in the bright light ads she looked up and before her brain configured a way to get up the well, Inuyasha poked his head into her sight.

"About time."

Kagome snatched up Zel and Inuyasha hefted them both up by the back of Kagome's shirt. Her feet touched back down on the soft grass and she let out a breath.

"Mom! Mom!" Meimi and Ko screamed and unison and ran to her. Their tiny fingers snatched her legs and they twisted to hide behind them.

Poking their heads out, they stuck their tongues out at Inuyasha.

The dog demon faltered for a second but jumped forward and clenched his fists.

"Hey little squirts—"

"Inuyasha, calm down." Kagome laughed and held out a hand to calm him.

Inuyasha reluctantly stood back up. Popping his head up, he crossed his arms.

"We don't have time for this, let's go." He said.

For a second and a half, Kagome caught herself staring. The gesture seemed too familiar and it struck a chord in her heart. Inuyasha acted just like her children. Her heart twanged and Kagome's face flushed. Jerking her head down, she stared at the ground and nudged the dirt with her scuffed up black shoes.

"Kagome." Inuyasha said again, his eyes opening to catch a glimpse of the girl.

Her bangs managed to shadow out her eyes and her arm absently wrapped around Zel. Even Zel frowned when she stared at her mother.

"Let's go." He tried again, lowering his voice this time, uncertain at her reaction.

She finally looked back up and gave a watery smile. "Lead the way."

Miemi and Ko didn't stop whining the entire way to the village. Somehow though, the odd surroundings didn't spring up in their conversation. They only complained about how they had to walk, why Kagome only held Zel, why they didn't get to be carried.

It got to a point that Inuyasha flattened his ears and complained himself.

"Do they ever stop?" He asked just as they entered the village.

Kagome almost giggled but forced a stoic face.

"They're just cranky. They need to take a nap." She told him earning protests from the girls beneath her.

"Feh."

Inuyasha walked in front of her and held open the mat doorway to Kaede's hut. Kagome thanked him as she slipped in with the girls on her heals.

Sango and Miroku had posted themselves against the wall. Shippou and Kirara sitting on their laps. Kaede was absent from the hut but those who were there instantly perked up.

"Oh my," Sango gasped when she laid eyes on the bunch.

Shippou stirred when he heard her and sprung up.

"Kagome you're back!" He ran at her and crawled up her leg.

She struggled quickly to grab him with her free arm and greeted him brightly.

"Hi Shippou."

"What's that mom?" Ko asked, snaking around her leg to point at the ball of orange fur.

"Hey, I'm not a _that_!" Shippou leaned over to peer over Kagome's arm. He spotted the girl with the black hair and dog ears.

"Yes, Ko, please be polite. This is Shippou. He's a fox demon." She twisted the best she could so her girls could get a clear look and satisfy their curiosity.

"A fox? He doesn't look like a fox." Meimi announced earning a tail twitch from Shippou.

"He's certainly tiny." Ko added.

Zel only brought a hand to her mouth as she watched expectedly. Kagome growled and she shot her daughters a firm look.

"You're tiny." Shippou retaliated undeterred. He crossed his arms and leaned back in Kagome's arm with a 'hmph'.

Sango and Miroku sprung up and closed the distance by a few feet. Their brows had pinched and Miroku brought up a hand to rub his chin.

"There are more of them." Sango didn't hide the amazement in her voice. She reached out and brushed the silky strands of Zel's hair. The girl blinked her owl eyes at the demon exterminator but didn't pull away. Sango couldn't hide the brilliant smile that lit up her face.

"They're so cute!"

"Thank you." Kagome acknowledged politely.

Miroku turned away and looked at the hanyou that had posted himself in the corner. Inuyasha had folded his eyes again, his hands disappearing into his billowing sleeves. His golden eyes watched the girls carefully with a softness Miroku hadn't seen in awhile. A relaxed mood still set on him despite his seeming concentration.

"Oh what are their names?" Sango asked, kneeling down to see the other girls.

Meimi and Ko eyed her suspiciously for a second before accepting the woman.

"Hi." They both nodded and gave her a smile.

"This is Ko and Miemi," Kagome nudged them both and shook her head. "They'll try to confuse you if they get a chance so don't let them. And this is Zel." She nudged her head toward the girl in her arms.

Sango kept smiling as she tried to memorize the names. The two twin girls looked so similar she noted how hard it would be to tell them apart. But Ko's hair was a bit longer, reaching down to her hips. Meimi's just spilled over her shoulders.

"So," Miroku spoke up looking back toward them, "they're all girls?"

He saw Inuyasha twitch from the corner of his eye and the twin girls spring up. Curling their fingers into a fist, they shook it at him in unison.

"Geez, why does everyone have a problem with girls around here?"

Sango kept grinning but backed up.

"Yes, Miroku. I think they're adorable."

Kagome watched the exchange almost silently when her arms started to grow tired. While the combined weight of Zel and Shippou weren't much, Kagome's muscles still hadn't recovered from earlier. They started to ache and Kagome shifted the two in her arms.

"Could we put them somewhere to take a nap?" She asked Sango and the brunette girl instantly kicked into motion.

Sango went to recover some beds and Kagome kneeled down and put Zel on her feet.

Sango urged the three girls to come lay down and they obeyed without much fight. Rubbing their eyes with closed fists, they complained quietly for awhile before plopping down.

"This would be good Kagome." Miroku crossed the distance between them and rested a hand on her shoulder, "I do believe we need to speak…about just what happened before you left to understand what me must do next."

Kagome's heart fell but she bit down on her lip and nodded. Of course…they would have to do that.


	20. Simplest plan is usually the best one

Kagome walked slower than she would have walked to her death. They decided to convene outside instead of finding another hut. Kaede stayed behind with the children, but Kagome knew she would never be as curious as the others.

Inuyasha rushed out ahead of her and hopped in the tree silently. Kagome took the cue and trotted to where the roots of the tree crawled out of the ground and dropped to a seat. Miroku and Sango followed in suit.

Shippou raced to jump in her lap and Kagome immediately dug her fingers into his warm fur. It gave her a light bit of support but the dark feeling in her stomach never quite went away. Drawing in a breath, she looked up and firmly met the eyes of her companions.

"So what do you need to know exactly?"

Miroku almost looked taken off guard. Bringing a hand to his chin, he rubbed a day's worth of stubble and hummed for a second.

"Well, first I suppose it'd be most drastic to know who might have taken your son."

Sango's brown eyes darted between them and she nodded.

Kagome took a breath of the crisp air and tried to word herself.

"Naraku."

"Are you sure?"

"I have no doubt." Kagome looked back towards the ground, her eyes drifting over the gently moving green grass. "But I don't think he'd hurt my son until he got to me."

"Why does Naraku want you?"

She sneered a bit. "I imagine because he thinks he can still harvest the Shikon no Tama from my body."

Sango gasped. "So it is true. You absorbed the Shikon jewel?"

It triggered Kagome's memory. She was holding the Shikon jewel when it started to burn and spin. Brightness erupted from it until it blinded from her. It sent shocks of pain up her bones. Kagome had screamed and tried to push it away. But the jewel didn't seem tangible anymore. Only that blinding light. And then it jumped a bit and vanished.

Kagome wouldn't have known where it went until it left the burning in her fingers.

Her breath had rushed from her and she twitched her fingers, almost swearing she could see a faint glow dim and disappear.

Kagome drew herself back to reality and willed herself to look back up at the companions.

"Yea."

Miroku pinched the brim of his nose for a second.

"Kagome-sama… you know we had heard rumors that the jewel had disappeared. Rumors that you had absorbed it. But forgive me if it seems fairly unbelievable. I'm not even sure how we would confront this event alone. Like if Naraku wishes to get the jewel back he might have a plan to. And we can't give it to him."

"We have to be very careful with you then, Kagome." Sango added to the end of Miroku's thought process.

Her hand snaked out to grab his, and he tucked it into his lap.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat when a blur of red dropped from a tree. He landed with a quiet thud, and stood up wielding a closed fist.

"We don't need to worry about that. We need to just draw Naraku out and then I'll take his head long before Kagome even gets involved!" He growled darkly.

Kagome let out a short breath but a new hope rushed up in her chest. An emotion she couldn't exactly pin lifted her chest and Kagome put a hand over her bosom silently.

"We could, I suppose, draw him out and get Kawayou back. I can't imagine whatever he plans to do to get the jewel back could get quick or easy." Sango kept nodding as she ticked off her thoughts.

"We'd have to be careful. We'd have to make sure not to be separated. And we would have to get the boy out as quickly as possible. I don't put it past Naraku not to use his life to the farthest extent he could." Miroku squeezed Sango's hand and let it go. They both stood in unison.

Kagome released Shippou's soft fur and put her hands on the grass to help herself up. Every muscle in her body protested but she forced herself to ignore it. Shippou stood by her ankle.

"So where do you think you could find him, Kagome?" Miroku turned back to her and asked.

Kagome pictured the grassy covered mountain in her head. Part of her knew he might not have been there still. But if there was anywhere he'd expect to meet her, that'd be it.

And then Miroku asked something that made her heart pang.

"And you know Sesshoumaru has nothing to do with this?"

Inuyasha jerked straighter next to them, and Kagome turned her head away not to look at him.

"No." She found herself muttering, "he shouldn't."

Before they could react again, she spun on her heel, nearly knocking Shippou off his feet. She walked quickly back to village and Kaede's hut.

Her eyes burned and she cursed herself mentally. Trying to refocus her efforts, she tried to word what she would tell her children. She had to tell them something.

Right when she reached the village perimeter, certain she'd left the others in her tracks, someone caught up to her.

Her nerves left her again when she saw the silver and red from her peripheral.

"Oi, bitch." Inuyasha said, "we need to talk."

~*~

A/N: I'm not dead! I swear. I'm just busy but lucky things are clearing up soon. Anyways, I know this chapter is bite sized but it's just to throw it out there and set it up for a nice Inu/Kag moment next chapter.

And more so, in the next chapters I won't cheat you out of details anymore.


	21. Do you still?

Kagome stopped the defensive reaction in her chest when she caught a glimpse of him. Inuyasha's eyes were downcast but he rushed to walk closely next to her. His hands were gone inside his billowing sleeves and his silver hair kept hiding away the better half of his face.

Kagome opened her mouth to answer but hesitated. She twisted around to watch the others disperse a few feet behind her. With a small squeak, she turned back around.

"What's wrong…Inuyasha?"

Her heart started to threaten to rush loudly enough he'd hear it. She bit her lip until it turned a firm red and waited for the hanyou to respond.

His white ears had flattened to his head and his chin tilted down toward the grass.

It took a full minute for him to speak.

"Listen, I know we aren't at the best of terms but I don't want you fighting with me if we're really going to do this. Let me protect you and our son…"

She had to strain her ears to hear him, and without noticing, had come to a complete halt.

"Inuyasha."

"You know you fight me. You always run off and almost get yourself killed." He said persistently but his voice was still weak.

Kagome's heart panged.

Her mind instantly flashed to the last time she was here. The memory of jolts of pain struck her hard and she jerked her head to stare at the browning grass. Of course he would bring up that.

She internally chided herself for the bitter thoughts for him. It would make sense that he would eventually want to talk about that. Naraku did almost end everything for her and the only reason he got the chance was because she didn't trust Inuyasha in the first place. The more she fought with him, the more of an opening Naraku had to influence her. To twist her thoughts and make him seem like the hero.

Kagome frowned with the sudden darkening of her thoughts. And no matter how bitter she felt for the old bickering, a fog that had once been there was cleared in retrospect.

She drew herself back to reality.

"I know." She admitted. Inuyasha didn't react.

"I'll be careful, I promise. I don't want to hurt you anymore." She couldn't help but let her voice break a little.

Looking down toward the dirt, she caught a glimpse of his curled fist that had dropped to his side.

Kagome let out a breath. Her heart thudded so loudly in her ears, she couldn't hear her own thoughts. Being around him was starting to hurt her more than she thought it would.

Rationality begged her to continue walking toward the hut, to repress the dangerous sentimental feelings that kept stirring up.

But emotions started to win the battle. She almost pictured herself reaching out and grasping his hand. She swallowed loudly.

'_Geez, Kagome, you're acting like a little school girl_' She told herself.

But her cheeks lit up.

She just wanted to touch him.

Maybe then she'd be convinced he was really there.

"Kagome." His voice popped her back into reality. She lost her breath. There was something strange about it.

His eyes were closed. She was almost disconcerted when she couldn't see the amber irises.

"What?"

He took a few agonizing moments to answer. Kagome's heart kept pounding and she futilely tried to quash it. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling.

"Kagome," He tried again, "do you still love me?"

Kagome's breath fell away from her. She stared at his closed eyes and the face he fought to keep perfectly stoic. But his ears twitched, still almost flat, and he clenched his fists.

She opened her mouth and tried to form a word. But frozen, she almost faltered.

"Inuyasha," she finally whispered.

She let her mind run over it once. Did she still love him? Of course she still loved him. Her heart would never let her doubt it. But the sudden question took her out of left field. She struggled to grasp it.

"Inuyasha, of course I still love you." She forced herself to talk but it still felt like the words were almost silent.

Trying to steel her nerves, she reached out and snatched up his hand. Claws brushed over her knuckles but she ignored it, suddenly desperate for him to look at her.

Inuyasha didn't really open his eyes but he squeezed her hand gently.

And then something cold ran down her spine.

Inuyasha tore away from her, hand instantly grabbing his sword's hilt. He jerked his head around, desperately looking for something in the sky.

A growl reverberated through his chest.

"That bastard." He hissed and started to run past Kagome.

She gasped, twisting around to watch him go.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed but he ignored her.

She felt a jolt that usually meant a demon was near but his reaction disconcerted her. She snapped out of her momentary trance and started to run after him.

Inuyasha ripped the sword free of its hilt while he ran. Springing off the ground, he kept leaping toward where the scent had come from.

A growl kept up from deep in his chest where all the anger and anxiety had knotted. Rage made its way with the adrenaline through his limbs.

He landed on the dirt and looked toward the tree line. The Tetsusaiga gleamed as it dropped to rest on the ground.

Inuyasha tore his eyes up, searching.

In seconds, it landed upon the source of the scent he picked up.

Inuyasha snarled.

"What do you want, Sesshoumaru?"

~*~

A/N: Short? Yes, but this was a good place to break. Anyways, the future chapters will be longer. I'm just trying to get these chapters out at a quicker pace.


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